Dulles International Airport (IAD) is one of three airports servicing the U.S. capital. It is situated about 26 miles outside Washington, D.C., in the Northern Virginia suburbs.
Compared to its counterpart in Virginia, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles’ footprint is at least 12 times larger, sitting on more than 11,000 acres.
Washington-Dulles is known for its vast international flight options, for being a major United Airlines hub, and for its iconic main terminal, designed by well-known architect Eero Saarinen (the same architect who brought the New York-JFK terminal that’s now the TWA hotel to life).
Washington-Dulles is comprised of a main terminal building which features ticketing, security and a small set of “Z” gates, plus baggage claim and customs on the bottom floor.
There are two separate midfield terminals that run parallel to the main terminal: one long building housing the A and B concourses, and another housing the C and D concourses.
Map of IAD terminals
Dulles Airport main terminal
The Washington-Dulles main terminal building is the immediately-recognizable structure most people think of when picturing the airport, with its vaulted ceiling and all-glass facade.
Inside, the building is huge, spanning 1.1 million square feet, and is close to a quarter-mile in length.
The main terminal is divided two floors: departures upstairs and arrivals downstairs.
Upper level
Inside the main terminal on the upper level, there are four large islands with ticket counters for domestic and international airlines.
All passengers pass through security in the main terminal, so if you’re a Clear member, you’ll be able to use the service no matter which airline you’re flying.
The standard TSA checkpoint is downstairs.
Once you pass through security, you’ll catch the Aerotrain or people movers to your specific departure terminal.
Downstairs
Downstairs on the arrivals level is baggage claim with 15 carousels, as well as the airport’s customs facilities, which include Global Entry access.
Food options
Pre-security: Cafe Americana, District Chophouse, Capitol Gounds Coffee.
Retail
International Currency Exchange, Dulles Gourmet Market.
Lounges
The main terminal building houses a brand new Capital One Lounge just beyond the TSA PreCheck lanes.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
NerdWallet Rating
Annual fee
$395
Transportation
Since Dulles operates out of three main terminal buildings, travelers have to take transportation to move between each.
Aerotrain
The most convenient option is the Washington-Dulles Aerotrain, an automated train system that runs between a few of the terminals. It’s usually a quick ride, with a maximum of two minutes between stations.
You can take the Aerotrain if you have a flight in the A gates, B gates or C gates. However, note that it is a decent walk from the station to the C gates.
People movers
One of Dulles’ best-known quirks is its “mobile lounges,” or “people movers.” These Star Wars-esque machines haven’t entirely been phased out with the Aerotrain.
Inside, the people movers feel like a combination of a waiting room and a bus, and they take passengers from one terminal to another.
You’ll typically ride the people movers if you’re:
Flying out of the D gates (one of United’s concourses).
Connecting between United’s D gates and Terminal A (gates A1A through A6F).
Arriving on an international flight to get to the customs area in the main terminal.
Passenger walkway
If you’d rather get some steps in, there’s also a 1,000-foot underground pedestrian walkway that connects the main terminal with Concourse B, featuring moving sidewalks in both directions.
Dulles Terminal A
Airlines
United (regional United Express flights, gates A1A through A6F).
International airlines occupy the main portion of terminal.
Lounges
Air France Lounge, near gate A20.
Open daily from 10:30 a.m. until last flight
Priority Pass eligible.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, across from gate A32
Open starting around four hours before Virgin Atlantic flights.
Priority Pass eligible.
Other amenities
Food and beverage
Jersey Mike’s Subs.
Smashburger.
Starbucks.
Extreme Pita.
Cacao Chaser.
Capitol City Ink.
Duty Free America.
Gen X Wireless.
Hudson News.
International Currency Exchange.
Souvenir Library.
Terminal B
Airlines
American Airlines.
Delta Air Lines.
Southwest Airlines.
International carriers like Aer Lingus, ANA, Lufthana, TAP Air Portugal and others.
Lounges
British Airways Lounge, located near Aerotrain station: Open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Lufthansa Business Lounge, located across from gates B49 and B51: Open 1:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Priority Pass eligible.
Turkish Airlines Lounge, located next to gate B43: Open 7:15 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily. Priority Pass eligible.
Other amenities
Food and beverage
Bracket Room.
Capitol Grounds Coffee.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
Chick-fil-a,
Commanders Burgundy & Gold Club.
DC-3 Hot Dog Joint.
Five Guys.
Peet’s Coffee.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop.
Vino Volo.
Wendy’s.
Cacao Chaser.
Chanel & Christian Dior.
DC Marketplace.
Duty Free Americas.
Eden’s Boutique.
Estée Lauder / M.A.C. Flag World.
Gen X Wireless.
Montblanc.
Ralph Lauren Polo.
See’s Candies.
Stellar News.
Sunglass Hut.
Travel Tech.
Vera Bradley.
Vineyard Vines.
Washingtonian.
Terminal C
Airlines
Lounges
United has four lounges in Concourse C:
A United Club near gate C4: Open 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. daily.
A United Club near gate C7: Open 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.
A United Club near gate C17: Open 5:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.
Other amenities
Food and beverage
Au Bon Pain.
Auntie Annie’s.
Be Right Burger.
Chef Geoff’s.
Devil’s Backbone Taproom.
Starbucks.
Brookstone.
Capitol City Ink.
Duty Free Americas
Hudson News.
International Currency Exchange
Terminal D
Airlines
Lounges
United Club near gate D8: Open 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Food and beverage
Bistro Atelier.
Dulles Gourmet Market.
Pizza Hut.
Rusty Taco.
Starbucks.
Duty Free Americas.
Forbes News.
International Currency Exchange.
NBC4 Travel Store.
A ‘bonus’ concourse of sorts, Dulles has a small handful of Z gates located in the main terminal building. A mix of airlines service these gates, and the only food and beverage options are Dunkin and Subway.
Washington-Dulles has several parking options. The priciest are right near the terminal and in garages, and the most affordable is a cheaper, satellite economy lot requiring a shuttle. You can reserve your parking online or take your chances of finding a free spot at the airport.
Terminal parking
Located just in front of terminal.
$29 per day or $6 per hour.
Follow covered walkway to terminal (brief walk).
There’s an additional “Valet” parking option for $39 per day that allows convenient pickup in front of the terminal parking lot for ultra convenience.
Garage 1 or Garage 2 Parking
Parking garage close to terminal.
$21 per day or $6 per hour.
Walk to the terminal via an underground or covered pedestrian walkway or take a shuttle.
Garage 2 is the most convenient for international departures.
Economy parking
Satellite parking lot.
$14 per day.
Shuttle service runs every 15 minutes. Give yourself at least 15 minutes of travel time to the terminal.
Rental cars
To get to and from the rental car facilities, you’ll have to take one of the airport’s free shuttle buses, a few minutes’ ride.
Dulles has most major rental car companies, including:
Enterprise.
Washington Metro Access
Dulles has direct access to the Washington Metro system via the Silver Line station. It’s located opposite the main terminal, across the terminal parking parking facilities. You’ll take an underground path with moving walkways to get to the Silver Line station.
From there, you can catch a Metro train that will take you through Tyson’s Corner, and eventually through Rosslyn and into downtown D.C. Metro’s trip planner shows it’s a ride of more than 50 minutes to Metro Center, a key connecting station in downtown D.C.
Check Metro’s website for information on hours of operation and fares.
Uber/Lyft from Dulles
Customers hoping to use a rideshare service like Uber and Lyft when they get off the airplane can be picked up on the arrivals level outside baggage claim outside Doors 2, 4 and 6.
(Top photo courtesy of Sean Cudahy)
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Denver International Airport is the third-busiest airport in the world, with more than 69 million passengers passing through its terminals in 2022.
Getting access to one of Denver’s airport lounges can improve your chances of finding more peace and quiet — or at least having a snack before you hit the skies.
Here are the lounges at Denver airport currently available for departing passengers.
Concourse A: Delta, United, Capital One and more
Denver airport’s Concourse A is home to the most airlines of the three concourses. This includes:
Air Canada.
Air France.
British Airways.
Copa Airlines.
Delta Air Lines.
Edelweiss.
Frontier Airlines.
Lufthansa.
United Airlines.
Given the number of airlines that fly into Concourse A, it should come as no surprise that it has more lounges than other concourses.
Delta Sky Club
The Delta Sky Club in Denver is located at the pedestrian bridge Y juncture on level 4, on the south end of the center core.
Open from 4:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. on Sunday through Friday and 4:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Denver’s Delta Sky Club lounge includes a buffet, two seating areas, a self-serve bar and other complimentary beverages.
The lounge is open to:
Delta Sky Club annual members traveling on Delta or a partner airline.
Passengers flying first or business class on a SkyTeam airline.
Diamond, Platinum, and Gold-level Medallion members traveling Delta premium select (or the equivalent from a SkyTeam airline).
Select credit card holders, including those with the The Platinum Card® from American Express and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Terms apply.
United Club
Located near gate A26.
Open from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Offers free snacks, a full-service bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Access to the lounge is limited to:
Premium cabin customers on an international itinerary.
Business or first class passengers on a Star Alliance airline, flyers with Star Alliance Gold status who are flying internationally or who have Star Alliance Gold status through a partner airline.
Active U.S. military personnel.
Cards with United Club access
United℠ Explorer Card
on Chase’s website
United Club℠ Infinite Card
on Chase’s website
United Club℠ Business Card
Details
Annual fee:$0 intro for the first year, then $95.
Lounge access: Two one-time United Club passes after account opening and each year for your cardmember anniversary.
Annual fee:$525.
Lounge access: Primary cardholders get a United Club membership.
Annual fee:$450.
Lounge access: Primary cardholders get a United Club membership.
Learn more
Capital One Lounge
Located near gate A34, mezzanine level.
Open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
The lounge features:
Drinks (including cocktails, wine and craft beer).
Shower suites and more.
Open with unlimited access to those with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Venture X Business. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Spark Miles cardholders who are limited to two complimentary lounge visits per year.
USO
Located on the north end of A Gates Bridge from Jeppesen Terminal.
Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The lounge includes coffee, snacks, drinks, games and complimentary Wi-Fi.
To use the USO lounge, you need to have a current active duty, Guard, Reserve or dependent ID card. Military retiree ID cards are accepted for access if space is available.
Concourse B: United Clubs
Concourse B exclusively has flights for United, which is why the only lounges here are United Clubs. Below is a list of the United lounges in the concourse.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Those with a boarding pass for same-day travel on a Star Alliance, United or a partner flight can purchase a one-time pass to a United Club in person or through United’s mobile app for $59 per passenger.
United Club – West
Located near gate B30.
Open from 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
This United Club in Denver is the largest United lounge in the world. It measures 35,000 square feet and features a bar with craft beer, relaxation rooms, a buffet, a fireplace and a robot that takes away your used plates and glasses.
Access to the lounge is limited to:
Premium cabin customers on an international itinerary.
Business or first class passengers on a Star Alliance airline.
Flyers with Star Alliance Gold status who are flying internationally or who have Star Alliance Gold status through a partner airline.
Active U.S. military personnel.
Flyers with a United Club membership or a United Club one-time pass.
United Club
Located near gate B44.
Open from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The lounge offers a full-service bar, complimentary snacks and Wi-Fi.
Access to the lounge is limited to:
Premium cabin customers on an international itinerary.
Business or first class passengers on a Star Alliance airline.
Flyers with Star Alliance Gold status who are flying internationally or who have Star Alliance Gold status through a partner airline.
Active U.S. military personnel.
Flyers with a United Club membership or a United Club one-time pass.
United Club Fly
Located near gate B60.
Open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
This unique lounge gives United passengers with lounge access the ability to quickly grab sandwiches, snacks and drinks to take with them on their flight. While there is a small dining area in the lounge, it’s designed more for a quick grab-and-go experience.
Access to the lounge is limited to:
Premium cabin customers on an international itinerary.
Business or first class passengers on a Star Alliance airline.
Flyers with Star Alliance Gold status who are either flying internationally or who have Star Alliance Gold status through a partner airline.
Active U.S. military personnel.
Flyers with a United Club membership or a United Club one-time pass.
🤓Nerdy Tip
You can purchase an annual pass to United Club lounges or get access from certain United credit cards. For instance, the United℠ Explorer Card (annual fee $0 intro for the first year, then $95) includes two one-time United Club passes after account opening and each cardmember anniversary, while United Club℠ Infinite Card (annual fee $525) includes a United Club membership.
Concourse C: Centurion Lounge, Admirals Club
Concourse C is also home to the American Express Centurion lounge in Denver.
Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United fly into Concourse C.
American Express Centurion Lounge
Located near gate C46.
Open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Denver Centurion Lounge, which is over 14,000 square feet, features craft beer, a live-action cooking station with a chef-designed Italian menu, an immersive game experience and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Open to cardholders who have either the The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express Centurion, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Terms apply.
American Airlines Admirals Club
Located near gate C30.
Open from 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Admirals Club in Denver offers complimentary Wi-Fi, food for purchase and conference rooms.
This lounge is open to:
One-day pass holders.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
Qualifying first and business-class passengers.
Final thoughts on Denver airport lounges
Denver has a number of lounges, including a Centurion Lounge from AmEx. Even so, the most impressive lounge at the Denver airport is United’s new United Club – West lounge.
While United does have the largest lounge presence in the Denver airport, Delta, British Airways, American Airways and Capital One also offer lounge access.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Barclays is offering 100,000 miles on the Lufthansa Miles & More when you spend $3,000 and pay the annual fee within the first 90 days
Card Details
Annual fee of $89 (waived for Senator and HON Circle Members, as long as they maintain their Senator or HON Circle Member status)
Free annual companion ticket after annual fee is paid and on card anniversary
Card earns at the following rates:
2 miles per $1 spent on all miles & more integrate partners
1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Free FICO score
No foreign transaction fees
Two Lufthansa Business Lounge vouchers annually (note despite the name Business is their lowest class of lounge, senator is higher and 1st is their highest class of lounge)
0% Introductory APR for 15 months
Our Verdict
Previous best was 80,000 points. This is an extra 20,000, surprised to see such a big jump. If you have a use of Lufthansa miles then this is definitely worth considering if not applying for, although I’d want to make sure I could use them ASAP to avoid any devaluation. We will add this to our list of the best credit cad bonuses. If you’re going to apply for this card then I’d also recommend reading our post on things you should know about Barclays before applying.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
If you like flying for (much) less, want to maximize frequent flyer award chart sweet spots and have transferrable credit card points to redeem, it’s time to learn about some of the amazing deals you can book with Turkish Miles&Smiles.
Just how good of a deal are we talking?
How about a 7,500-mile award from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii on United? Perhaps you’d prefer a lie-flat seat on a cross-country journey for 15,000 miles? Or Europe in business class for 45,000 miles each way, compared to the 200,000 plus miles some programs with dynamic pricing are now charging? The Turkish Miles&Smiles program makes all this possible.
Even better? The program is a 1:1 transfer partner of three popular transferable currencies.
If you want to learn about an international frequent flyer program that’s jam-packed with redemption sweet spots, here’s what you need to know about Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles.
How to earn Turkish Miles&Smiles
Transfer points from credit card programs
While there are no Turkish-branded credit cards available in the U.S., you can transfer rewards from three programs with transferable currencies directly to Miles&Smiles at a rate of 1:1: Bilt Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
There’s only one card that allows you to earn Bilt points: the Bilt Mastercard (see rates and fees). While it doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, it does allow you to pay rent with no fees and earn 1 point per dollar (up to 100,000 points per year). You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar on dining and 2 points per dollar on travel, though note that you must have at least five eligible transactions during your billing period.
Meanwhile, here’s a list of some currently available cards that earn transferable Capital One miles:
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95 annual fee, see rates and fees): New cardmembers earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395 annual fee, see rates and fees): New cardmembers earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (no annual fee, see rates and fees): New cardmembers earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards for Good Credit (no annual fee, see rates and fees).
Capital One Spark Miles for Business ($0 annual fee for the first year, then $95, see rates and fees): New card members can earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $4,500 in the first three months of account opening.
Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business (no annual fee): New cardmembers can earn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening.
The information for the Capital One Spark Miles Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Finally, here are some of our favorite Citi cards that can earn ThankYou points:
Related: Is Citi ThankYou Rewards the most underappreciated and misunderstood program?
Transfer points from hotel programs
You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 3:1 (so 3,000 Bonvoy points would become 1,000 Turkish points).
For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 Miles&Smiles.
Related: 17 ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points
Earn points from flying
You can fly Turkish Airlines-operated flights, and you’ll earn reward miles based on your fare class, Miles&Smiles elite status level and the distance of the flight.
If you flew Turkish Airlines from Los Angeles to Istanbul (a 6,865-mile route) in a discounted ‘U’ economy fare, you would earn 25% of the miles flown or 1,716 redeemable miles. That’s not great, but it’s something.
Turkish Airlines is in the Star Alliance, and as a result, you can also earn miles by flying Turkish’s partner airlines and crediting those miles to your Miles&Smiles account. For many U.S.-based travelers, the most likely partner to fly and credit to Miles&Smiles would probably be United Airlines — especially given the program’s recent devaluations.
You’ll earn Turkish miles based on the fare class and distance of your United-operated flight.
There are different earning charts for each partner airline. So, be sure to check if your fare class is eligible to earn miles and how many miles you’ll earn before deciding to put your Turkish frequent flyer number on a partner reservation.
Finally, Turkish miles expire three years from the time they’re earned. You can pay a rather expensive fee of $10 for every 1,000 miles that are about to expire to extend them for another three years. However, you should plan on using your Turkish miles long before they expire.
Read more: How to keep your points and miles from expiring
How to redeem Turkish Miles&Smiles
How to book a Turkish Airlines-operated award flight
If you want to book an award ticket operated only by Turkish Airlines, you can get to the award booking engine from the Turkish home page by clicking the “Award ticket” checkbox.
This will require you to log in to your Miles&Smiles account and then bring you to the award ticket booking engine, where you can enter your origin, destination, dates, class of service and number of passengers. Pro tip: Don’t include the leading TK portion of your account number when you log in. Also, remember this first search screen is only for Turkish-operated flight itineraries.
After you select a flight option, you’ll see the flight details, aircraft type and the award space labeled as promotional pricing or regular pricing, which will match the published award charts:
The following page will give you the total flight cost, including taxes and fees, even if you don’t have the required miles in your account.
How to book a Star Alliance partner award flight
If you want to search for Star Alliance-operated award flights (such as those operated by United, Lufthansa, Air New Zealand and others), you must find the Star Alliance award search engine.
To access Star Alliance award searches, log into your Turkish Miles&Smiles account and, on the drop-down menu (below your name), select “Miles Transactions” as shown below:
On the next page, you’ll see the link that will take you to the Star Alliance award ticket booking engine:
The engine looks identical to the Turkish-operated award search engine, except it says “Star Award Ticket” at the top:
You can then follow the same process to book partner flights.
Related: The best websites for searching Star Alliance award availability
Things to know about Turkish Miles&Smiles
The best way to redeem Turkish miles is for award flights. While other options may exist in the program, booking Turkish or Star Alliance-operated flights will get you maximum value.
With that in mind, here are a few of the most important rules and nuances of Miles&Smiles:
Miles&Smiles prices award flights on region-based award charts.
There are two levels of award availability for Turkish-operated flights: regular and promotional. Regular doesn’t technically have a name. It is just “award ticket” when you see it in the search results. Promo space (still referred to as “limited space capacity” in the terms and conditions) means fewer seats are available at a much lower mileage cost than the regular “award ticket” space.
Award ticket prices for flights within the same region cost 15,000, 25,000 and 40,000 miles round trip for economy, business and first class, respectively.
You can book one-way awards for half the price of a round-trip journey.
You can redeem miles for anyone besides yourself, but you must register them in your Miles&Smiles account first.
If you need 10,000 additional miles or less to issue an award ticket, you can buy them at a rate of 25 euros (about $27) per 1,000 miles.
Fuel surcharges are not charged on United flights and are somewhat reasonable on Turkish flights, but can be problematic on some Star Alliance carriers like Lufthansa.
Award tickets can be canceled or changed for a fee of $25.
One open jaw is allowed on a round-trip ticket. An open jaw is an itinerary when you fly into one city and out of another.
One stopover is allowed in Istanbul on the outbound or return of a Turkish Airlines-operated award itinerary. A stopover is when you stay in a city along the path of your itinerary for a period of time.
Award tickets can have a maximum of eight segments: four on the inbound and four on the outbound.
You can put award tickets on hold for 72 hours, even with zero miles in your account.
Best uses of Turkish Miles&Smiles
Hawaii for 7,500 miles one-way, 15,000 miles round trip
Flights within the same region, as defined by the Turkish region chart, cost 15,000 miles round trip. Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) is specifically included in the North America region (though all other Hawaii destinations price out the same) along with the rest of the U.S. This makes one-way flights to the Aloha State just 7,500 miles each way. These awards are bookable online and carry no fuel surcharges.
Even one-stop itineraries from the East Coast cost just 7,500 miles each way.
Theoretically, you can fly in business class for just 12,500 miles each way (a tiny fraction of the more than 40,000 miles United would charge). However, know that business-class awards to Hawaii are extremely hard to find.
Alaska, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands for 7,500 miles in economy or 12,500 in first class
We’re starting to sound like a broken record at this point, but hang in there: San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as Alaska and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are grouped in with the rest of the U.S. This means award flights are 7,500 miles each way in economy or 12,500 in first class.
While United doesn’t usually fly fancy lie-flat seats to these destinations, the flight can be long enough that doing it in domestic first class is still a bargain for just 12,500 miles. That is, if you can snag it.
U.S. to Mexico for 10,000 miles one-way in economy or 15,000 miles in business class
You can book that beach getaway from the U.S. down to Mexico for just 10,000 miles in economy or 15,000 in business class. Whether you want Cancun International Airport (CUN), Puerto Vallarta’s Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) or Mexico City International Airport (MEX), the Turkish award price to fly United is the same awesome deal. For comparison, United would usually want at least 17,500 miles each in economy or 30,000 miles to sit up front in each direction.
U.S. to Europe for 45,000 miles one-way in business class
You can fly From North America to Europe Zone 1 and Europe Zone 2 for the same miles. Economy costs 30,000 miles one-way, and business is a fantastic 45,000 miles, flying either Turkish Airlines or Star Alliance partners (or a combination of both). This is arguably the best business-class price you will see to Europe (outside of the occasional Flying Blue Promo Awards).
North America to India for 52,500 miles in business class
One of the most common award routings we’re asked to find is a round-trip flight to India. India is included in the Central Asia zone on the Turkish chart. These tickets cost just 34,000 miles one-way in economy and 52,500 miles in business class.
Intra-Oceania for 15,000 to 25,000 miles one-way in economy or business class
Intra-Oceania is a big zone stretching from French Polynesia to Australia, New Zealand and beyond. It’s available for 25,000 miles one-way in business class. These can be tough awards to score, often on Air New Zealand, but it’s a steal when you can book one. The catch? We haven’t gotten the online search site to recognize the gateway to French Polynesia — Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport (PPT) — so you may have to call to book those awards.
Bottom line
The game of chasing the best frequent flyer programs and redemptions is always changing. No single program is the best at everything, but the Turkish Miles&Smiles program is worth investigating. Especially for those who have access to Bilt points, Citi ThankYou points or Capital One miles and like to fly on Star Alliance airlines, there are some excellent value redemptions.
Additional reporting by Ben Smithson.
See Bilt Mastercard rates and fees here. See Bilt Mastercard rewards and benefits here.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Lounge access can make travel much less stressful. Whether you’re traveling during a busy season and need to escape the madness of the terminal or simply need a place to stay when your flight is delayed, lounge access can make the difference between being flustered and remaining calm.
Many cards provide Priority Pass memberships, but the American Express® Green Card takes a slightly different approach to lounge access. Instead of providing membership to a network of lounges or a set number of complimentary lounge access passes, the American Express Green Card provides up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year when you use the card to purchase lounge access directly from LoungeBuddy through its website or app.
Lounge access through LoungeBuddy starts at $9 per entry, although most lounges cost between $27 and $54. So today, we’re looking at how to maximize the $100 annual statement credit for LoungeBuddy passes that comes as a benefit of the American Express Green Card, which has a $150 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Use other lounge passes first
If you have complimentary lounge access through other means, use that lounge access when it’s available so you can save your LoungeBuddy statement credits for other trips.
For example, if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you have access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which provides Centurion Lounge access, a Priority Pass membership and access to Airspace and Escape lounges, along with Delta SkyClubs on the day you fly. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Additionally, if you have select airline cards you may have access to the airline’s lounges when flying that airline or its partners. Elite status or flying in premium cabins also may afford you lounge access.
In short, it’s worth checking whether you have complimentary lounge options before booking a paid visit through LoungeBuddy.
Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access
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Research your options
If you want to book a lounge using LoungeBuddy, you can see all the bookable lounge locations on the LoungeBuddy website. For example, the following image shows all the U.S. airports that currently have a lounge bookable through LoungeBuddy. As you can tell, there are still a lot of airports where you won’t have any lounge options.
You can use the LoungeBuddy website to compare lounge options before booking. It’s worth the time to compare amenities, important information, reviews and cost on the LoungeBuddy website to help you decide which lounge to visit. And you might be surprised at the little difference in cost between lounges. The Escape Lounge at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), for instance, actually costs less than The Club at CVG, so researching in advance will help you choose your most valuable option.
Likewise, if you decide on a particular lounge, it can be a good idea to determine whether you can purchase lounge access for less through another method if you’ll easily use your American Express Green Card’s $100 annual LoungeBuddy statement credit on other lounge visits.
Related: Airport lounge do’s and don’ts
Use LoungeBuddy to pay for extra guests
Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders get complimentary access for themselves and up to two guests to Escape Lounges, but you can use LoungeBuddy to purchase passes for additional guests if you’re traveling in a larger group.
Similarly, if a lounge participates in both Priority Pass and LoungeBuddy, you can purchase access for additional travel companions through LoungeBuddy if you aren’t allocated enough guests through your Priority Pass membership.
Related: How to get a family of four or more into an Amex Centurion lounge
Keep track of your usage
You can certainly keep using LoungeBuddy to purchase lounge access once you’ve exhausted the American Express Green Card’s $100 annual statement credit. But you may want to keep a note on your phone so you can track your LoungeBuddy usage.
This way, you’ll know when you book the lounge visit that puts you over the $100 mark for the year, which means you won’t see any more statement credits from your American Express Green Card for additional LoungeBuddy visits the rest of the year.
Related: Credit card perks you should be using
Splurge on an impressive lounge
Maximization doesn’t have to be about getting the most lounge visits from your American Express Green Card’s $100 LoungeBuddy statement credit.
Instead, maximization might mean using the statement credit to visit an impressive lounge you wouldn’t normally splurge to visit. For example, you can use the majority of your credit for a single visit for two to the Lufthansa Business Class lounge in New York JFK if you’ve been wanting to check it out.
Related: 7 lounges that are worth going out of your way for
Consider international lounges
Many lounges outside the U.S. cost less than domestic lounges. This means you may be able to squeeze more lounge visits out of the American Express Green Card’s $100 LoungeBuddy statement credit if you are abroad. Many of these lounges include more substantial food and better amenities than comparably priced lounges within the U.S.
For example, you’ll find multiple lounges bookable through LoungeBuddy in Singapore (SIN) that range in cost from $28 to $43 per entry, and in Bangkok (BKK), there are several lounges you can book for just $36 per entry. These prices are only slightly less than you’d normally find in the U.S., but it’s nice to have affordable options no matter where you find yourself.
A few lounges are accessible for even less. You can get an entry to the Mingalar Sky Lounge in Yangon (RGN) for $10. Similarly, the Aviserv Lounge in Mumbai (BOM) offers three-hour lounge access for just $9 or seven-hour access with a shower and sleep pod for $52.
With options like these, you can stretch your $100 statement credit if you’re traveling abroad.
Related: How valuable is a Priority Pass membership?
Bottom line
One benefit of the American Express Green Card is an annual $100 LoungeBuddy statement credit, which you can use in many different ways. You could visit a $10-per-entry lounge in Yangon 10 times, or use the credit to splurge for Lufthansa Business Class lounge in New York JFK. Maximization looks different for each traveler, but you have plenty of options to use your LoungeBuddy statement credit in a way that provides the most value to you.
If you want to learn more about lounge access and the American Express Green Card, check out the following guides:
For rates and fees of the Amex Green Card, click here.
When flying to Europe, you may be considering flights on Lufthansa or Air France. Both international airlines are well-respected in the industry and offer unique experiences for passengers.
From a complimentary glass of champagne on Air France long-haul flights to Lufthansa’s first-class lounge rubber ducks, each airline offers special amenities. If you see flight options for both airlines, you may be wondering if you should choose Lufthansa versus Air France.
In this article, we’ll compare Lufthansa versus Air France based on:
Available destinations.
Co-branded credit cards.
Loyalty programs.
In-flight experience.
We compiled this information to help you decide which one, Lufthansa or Air France, is best for you.
Where they’re based and where they fly
Winner: Air France
When picking an airline, it’s important that it travels to a wide variety of destinations so you can use them over and over again. Flying the same airline repeatedly allows you to earn frequent flyer miles for future flights and credits toward elite status. Air France is the winner with more destinations and flights aboard its own planes.
Lufthansa
The airline offers more than 205 destinations worldwide with 5,200 weekly flights scheduled for summer 2023. Its primary hubs are Frankfurt and Munich, but it flies all over the world with its partners as a founding member of Star Alliance.
Air France
Air France operates 1,500 daily flights to 312 destinations in 116 countries. It is a SkyTeam member, which enables customers to book flights with its partners to fly to destinations worldwide. The airline’s primary hubs are in Paris and Amsterdam.
Travel credit card availability
Winner: Air France
Having an airline’s credit card enables travelers to earn extra miles and receive additional perks when flying on the airline.
When it comes to Air France versus Lufthansa, Air France has the more appealing travel credit card options with higher earning power and better cardholder perks.
Plus, it is a transfer partner of the multiple flexible points programs. This allows you to earn miles multiple ways, even if you don’t have the airline’s co-branded card.
Lufthansa
The Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® earns 2x miles per dollar on Lufthansa purchases and 1x miles on everything else, and cardholders can convert up to 25,000 miles into elite status miles at a 5:1 ratio.
For its $59 annual fee, it also includes two complimentary Lufthansa business class lounge vouchers and a companion ticket each year.
And don’t forget the welcome bonus:
Earn 60,000 award miles if you spend $3,000 in purchases and pay the annual fee, both within the first 90 days.
The downside is Lufthansa does not partner with any flexible points programs to convert points into its miles.
Air France
Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® cardholders receive 3x miles on Air France purchases and 1.5x miles everywhere else. In exchange for the card’s $89 annual fee, you’ll receive 5,000 miles on your card anniversary as long as you spend at least $50 each year.
It, too, has a welcome bonus:
Get 50,000 Bonus Miles after you make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Plus, you’ll receive 60 XP toward elite status upon approval of your card application. Members can transfer points to Air France KLM Flying Blue from a number of programs, including:
Airline loyalty programs
Winner: Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Travelers earn miles for future flights based on their paid tickets, credit card usage and other activities with partners.
Additionally, they can achieve elite status by hitting certain milestones within the program. Ideally, a loyalty program is simple and straightforward to encourage members to earn and redeem miles on a regular basis.
Lufthansa is in the process of simplifying its loyalty program, and the changes won’t be implemented until January 2024. Air France currently has a better program that rewards travelers for their loyalty and makes it easy to redeem miles.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa is in the process of launching a new loyalty program that was announced in 2019.
The new program is scheduled for release in January 2024 offering a transparent point system and the ability to earn lifetime elite status. Changes are intended to eliminate complicated program components to make it easier for travelers to earn and redeem rewards in the future.
Additionally, members will automatically receive additional benefits as they reach milestones based on their annual flights.
Air France
Flying Blue is the combined loyalty program for Air France and KLM. The loyalty program makes it easy to redeem miles to book award tickets and offers a “miles & cash” option where you can pay up to 25% of your ticket with cash.
Flying Blue also offers monthly promo award flights where you can save up to 50% off award flights. There are four levels of elite status travelers can achieve based on their flights, credit card use and partner activities.
Winner: Air France
Airlines often charge fees when booking a flight with an agent, for checking luggage and other aspects of traveling.
When selecting an airline, you want one that does not charge a lot of extra fees that can increase the cost of your flight. Air France is our choice for fewer fees since it waives fees for telephone booking and online changes or refunds.
Lufthansa
Like many airlines, Lufthansa charges fees for many services when interacting with employees or making changes to flights. In some cases, rebooking or refunds are not allowed on lower-level tickets.
If you need to cancel or change your flight, you may have fees ranging from $250 to $1,000 per passenger plus any difference in fare. On the plus side, all passengers get at least one checked bag for free, even economy class tickets.
Air France
Air France waives many fees for booking, making changes or canceling flights when they’re made online or at airport kiosks. However, fees may apply on the day of departure or over the phone.
Most passengers get at least one checked bag for free. However, economy passengers may be charged on some flights. Travelers can save 20% on excess baggage fees by purchasing allowances online ahead of their flights.
In-flight experience
Winner: Tie
Both airlines offer premier travel experiences on the ground and in the air. Whether you’re flying Economy or upgrading to first class, you can’t go wrong when choosing between Lufthansa versus Air France.
Lufthansa
Economy class passengers receive complimentary meals, drinks and on-board entertainment with seats measuring over 16 inches wide (40 cm).
First class travelers enjoy access to personal assistants, first class lounges and limousine service from the lounge to the plane. Onboard, you’ll dine on culinary delights and fine wines from lie-flat seats that adjust to your comfort level.
The airline is launching an overhaul of its in-flight service known as Lufthansa Allegra. This redesign reimagines the in-flight experience from scratch with maximum privacy in mind.
Air France
Air France offers four levels of seats, ranging from economy to La Premiere First Class. Economy class seats differ slightly based on which region you’re traveling to, but all economy passengers have access to onboard entertainment and Wi-Fi.
In select cities, first class passengers traveling in La Premiere receive complimentary premium driver service to the airport, a private check-in lounge and a chauffeured ride to the aircraft.
Onboard, you’ll enjoy personalized staff service plus culinary meals in your private suite offering hotel-standard comfort.
Is Lufthansa better than Air France?
In the competition of Lufthansa versus Air France, there’s a clear winner: Air France.
While both airlines are part of alliances, Air France flies to more destinations with more daily flights. Each airline has its own credit card, but the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® has higher earning power and only Air France partners with other cards for points transfers.
Lufthansa is in the process of streamlining its loyalty program, which illustrates how convoluted its current program is. Both airlines have high-end experiences at the airport and in-flight experiences, but Air France also has lower fees in common situations.
Overall, these two international airlines offer very different pros and cons. Air France is our choice between Lufthansa versus Air France. However, the best one for you depends on where you live, where you want to fly and your travel preferences.
(Top photo courtesy of Air France)
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
With international airfare up 20% compared to last year, a business-class fare deal to Europe, with availability this summer, is absolutely amazing.
Fares from across the U.S. to Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium start as low as $2,400 round-trip.
Deal basics
Airlines: American, United, Delta, Air Canada, Lufthansa, British Airways and TAP. Routes: From Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York, Miami, Baltimore, Washington, Los Angeles and others to Europe. How to book: Browse Google Flights and book directly with the airline. Travel dates: May through December 2023 and January through March 2024; exact availability depends on the route. Book by: ASAP.
Going, formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights, originally discovered this deal. Sign up for Going to get deals up to 90% off via its Premium membership, which users can try for free for 14 days and then $49 per year. You can also upgrade to the Elite membership for $199 per year and receive all the Premium deals plus premium economy, business-class and first-class alerts.
Sample routes
The following flights were priced as listed at the time of publication. We cannot guarantee the below round-trip flights will be available when you book.
To Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO), from:
San Francisco International Airport (SFO), starting at $2,515.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), starting at $2,809.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), starting at $2,814.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), starting at $2,916.
To Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), from:
SEA, starting at $2,650.
SFO, starting at $2,677.
To Brussels Airport (BRU), from:
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Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), starting at $2,028.
Miami International Airport (MIA), starting at $2,226.
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), starting at $2,379.
O’Hare International Airport (ORD), starting at $2,416.
To Geneva Airport (GVA), from:
LAX, starting at $2,305.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), starting at $2,315.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Minneapolis−St. Paul International Airport (MSP), starting at $2,320.
SFO, starting at $2,381.
HOU, starting at $2,391.
IAH and Denver International Airport (DEN), starting at $2,417.
To multiple airports in Germany, from:
LAX or SEA to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), starting at $2,380.
IAH to FRA, starting at $2,437.
DEN to FRA, starting at $2,438.
HOU to Munich Airport (MUC), starting at $2,449.
DEN or LAX to MUC, starting at $2,484.
IAH to MUC, starting at $2,484.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to FRA, starting at $2,619.
SEA, starting at $2,660.
Since this deal includes round-trip flights on multiple airlines, be sure to book with each airline directly and review the terms and conditions of the fare type, as they vary by carrier.
For example, most major airlines’ business-class fares on flights from the U.S. to Europe feature lie-flat seats, but not all. Most bigger carriers do, but some older planes might not have the most up-to-date seats, so be sure to check the details for the aircraft listed for your specific flight before you book.
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
Bottom line
This is an opportunity to save up to 50% off round-trip business-class flights to Europe. Run, don’t walk to catch this deal before it flies away.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Summer is just around the corner — and it’s shaping up to be a bumper travel season with big crowds, flight delays, and high temperatures (and tempers!)
You’ve probably booked your flights and hotels by now (if not, you should do that right away). However, one part of your trip may be lacking: tips on how to make your trip more comfortable.
This could include anything from zipping through the airport to avoiding crowds, taking advantage of more comfortable seats on your flight and getting freebies or upgrades along the way.
Today, let’s look at the best credit cards for making your next trip more enjoyable.
Premium credit cards that improve your travel experience
Having a premium credit card can offer a lot of perks. You can breeze through airport security, skip the line at rental car facilities and wait comfortably at an airport lounge simply by having a premium credit card in your wallet.
Here’s how these cards can make your travel experience better:
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express provides access to numerous travel benefits to make your next trip more comfortable.
First, you can access numerous lounges while waiting for your flight at the airport. These include American Express Centurion lounges, Delta Sky Club lounges (when flying Delta that day), Priority Pass Select lounges, Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner, Airspace lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges and other Global Lounge Collection partner lounges (search for locations here). Enrollment is required in advance for some benefits.
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To move quickly through security checkpoints, you can receive reimbursement from your Amex Platinum Card when paying for your membership fees to Global Entry, TSA PreCheck and Clear. These programs provide dedicated security lanes, which often mean shorter waiting times. Enrollment is required in advance for these benefits.
You also can make your flights more comfortable thanks to up to $200 in statement credits per year for airline incidentals. You must select a preferred airline in advance, and then you can be reimbursed for expenses like checked bags, preferred seats or even inflight Wi-Fi purchases. Enrollment is required.
Related: How to use the Amex Platinum $200 airline fee credit
Amex Platinum cardmembers also have access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection and can enjoy up to a $200 annual hotel credit in the form of a statement credit on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel. Note that there is a two-night minimum stay for The Hotel Collection bookings. These programs provide access to high-quality hotels and benefits like room upgrades, free breakfast or late checkout.
Other hotel benefits come in the form of room upgrades and earning points at higher rates, thanks to elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Amex Platinum cardmembers can enroll for complimentary Gold status in both programs.
To elevate your rental car experience, enroll for elite status in rental car programs, including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive. This will provide benefits like car upgrades, a free second driver and the ability to skip the line when picking up your car — meaning you can head straight to your car and get on the road.
Related: Is the Amex Platinum worth the annual fee?
Plus, if you need a ride to an airport or hotel during your trip, you can take advantage of up to $200 in Uber Cash per year. You can use this for rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. by adding your Amex Platinum card as a payment method in your Uber account. Enrollment is required.
The Amex Platinum Card’s benefits come with an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees).
Official application link: The Platinum Card® from American Express
The American Express® Green Card
The American Express Green Card offers 3 points per dollar on broader travel, restaurants and transit, as well as annual statement credits for Clear (up to$189) and LoungeBuddy ($100) that more than cover its $150 annual fee (see rates and fees), making it a compelling offer for any occasional traveler.
The card also offers extended warranty protection, purchase protection and return protection when you purchase eligible items with your card, as well as baggage insurance and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance, with the option to upgrade to primary coverage through Amex’s Premium Car Rental Protection.
Right now, Amex is offering new cardmembers 60,000 Membership Rewards points after they spend $3,000 on purchases in their first six months of card membership. Based on TPG’s valuation of Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, the welcome offer points are worth at least $1,200.
You’ll also get 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in your first six months to earn up to $200 back, making the total welcome offer worth up to $1,400.
In all, the card’s a great option for the modern traveler.
Official application link: The American Express® Green Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a slightly lower annual fee ($550) than the Amex Platinum and also comes with numerous perks to make your next trip more comfortable.
Like Platinum cardmembers, Sapphire Reserve cardholders also have access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide. They also have access to Chase Sapphire Lounges, coming to nine airports. These will include popular airports like New York-LaGuardia, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Washington-Dulles. The first lounges are already open in Boston and Hong Kong.
The Sapphire Reserve card also reimburses your application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or quicker access between the U.S. and Canada through Nexus.
If you need help securing difficult reservations or booking activities during your trip, Sapphire Reserve cardholders have access to a concierge service to assist.
And those looking for boutique hotel experiences can access the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection. These bookings provide benefits like daily breakfast for two people, a $100 on-property credit and room upgrades (when available).
While the Sapphire Reserve card doesn’t provide credits strictly allocated to airline incidental credits, ride-hailing apps or even elite status, it does have something that can offset these expenses. Cardholders have up to $300 in annual travel credits that apply automatically to the first $300 they spend in broad travel categories each year — such as rides to the airport, airport parking, seat upgrades or even the beachside cabana that requires a paid reservation at a resort.
When renting a car, you’ll enjoy complimentary National Emerald Club Executive membership plus benefits with Avis and Silvercar.
Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
With an annual fee of just $395, the Venture X card may seem like a bargain compared to the Amex Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve. However, it still comes packed with benefits to make your next trip more comfortable.
Along with access to Priority Pass lounges, cardholders also have unlimited visits to Capital One lounges and Plaza Premium lounges. Lounge benefits also extend to your authorized users, who can also bring two guests of their own — meaning your whole family could access a lounge for free during your next trip.
Related: Big family? No problem! Get unlimited lounge guests with this credit card
Venture X cardholders can also enjoy reimbursement for their Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee to help move through security quickly.
For rental cars, Venture X cardholders (and Venture X authorized users) enjoy top-tier Hertz President’s Circle status.* After registering for this benefit, you can enjoy skip-the-line privileges, guaranteed upgrades, the widest range of selection and a free additional driver. Moreover, once you have rental car status with one company, you can use this to match your status to other rental car programs.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program, and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
Related: Is the Capital One Venture X worth the $395 annual fee?
For other comforts during your trip, you can take advantage of 10,000 bonus miles on every account anniversary and up to $300 in annual statement credits for travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal. Great uses of these credits would be booking a boutique hotel or even stacking benefits with your Hertz car rentals.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Airline cards that make your flight more comfortable
Breezing through security without the need to take off your shoes or wait in a long line is great. So is waiting comfortably in an airport lounge. However, your trip doesn’t end there.
Here’s how cobranded airline credit cards can make your next flight more comfortable:
A free checked bag is a key feature of nearly every airline credit card. This can save you money and improve your airport experience since you won’t carry as many things through security or onto the plane.
You can enjoy a free first checked bag on your flight across various credit cards and annual fees. This includes the United Explorer Card ($0 introductory annual fee, then $95), the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card ($95 annual fee), Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® ($450 annual fee) and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card ($550 annual fee; see rates and fees).
Many credit cards also extend the checked bag benefits to other people on your same reservation. However, the number of people this perk covers depends on the card and can vary widely. And while this benefit generally extends to any trip associated with your frequent flyer account number, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines credit cards are an exception. To get free checked bags, you must pay for the ticket with your United Airlines or Alaska Airlines credit card, respectively.
For more details, see the following:
Beyond offering free checked bags, you can enjoy other comfort-adding perks from airline credit cards. Examples include priority boarding and access to preferred seats or seat upgrades.
However, those holding credit cards with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines or United Airlines will enjoy some level of preferred boarding when flying on those airlines. Generally, this means boarding before economy passengers but after business- and first-class passengers. By boarding early, you can access overhead storage bins before they’re full.
Airline credit cards can also offer the chance to upgrade to better seats. Aside from using airline or travel credits on the premium credit cards discussed above, United and Delta flyers can access preferred seats in other ways.
Those who hold the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex can request complimentary upgrades before their flight, potentially moving up to Comfort+ seats. These cardholders receive upgrades ahead of those with the same status and seating cabin who don’t hold the Reserve card. Those with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can also receive upgrade priority after meeting the Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQD) waiver requirement of spending $25,000 on the card in a calendar year.
With United Airlines, those with elite status normally don’t receive upgrades on award flights — just on paid flights. However, those who hold a United Airlines credit card with an annual fee can receive complimentary upgrades according to their elite status level even when flying on award tickets. Thus, you could get a roomier seat if you have status with United Airlines — and you can even get that roomier seat on an award flight if you also hold a card like the United Quest Card.
Related: 4 reasons someone in your family needs a United credit card
Hotel cards that improve your stay
When you think about adding comfort to your hotel stays, your first thought probably includes upgraded rooms. However, free (or faster) Wi-Fi, breakfast and parking, and expedited check-in lines can also elevate your stay.
Having the right credit card in your wallet could offer you automatic entry-level status, netting you a few extra points and a free bottle of water. But it also might offer top-tier elite status that qualifies you for upgrades to suites and luxury treatment during your stay.
Hilton Honors credit cards
If you want top-tier Diamond status with Hilton — which includes perks like suite upgrades based on availability at check-in, lounge access at hotels that have these, bonus points, free breakfast and more — you can get this without the effort of counting your hotel nights every year.
Simply holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card confers Diamond status automatically for as long as your account is open. The card’s annual fee is $450 (see rates and fees), but this may be less than what you would spend on the necessary hotel stays to qualify for Diamond status annually.
The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Another option for Hilton status is carrying the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which confers automatic Hilton Gold (mid-tier) status. There’s an annual fee of $95 (see rates and fees). For this fee, your Gold status will confer benefits like bonus points on paid stays, room upgrades (but not suites) based on availability at check-in and either food and beverage credits or free breakfast, depending on the hotel.
Related: How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you
IHG One Rewards credit cards
If you’re looking for elite status with IHG One Rewards, you can receive complimentary Platinum Elite status (the third-highest of the four tiers) pretty easily. Cardholders of the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card receive Platinum Elite status automatically; the card has a $99 annual fee. Platinum Elite status offers benefits like bonus points on paid stays, upgraded rooms (including suites at some properties), welcome gifts of points or snacks and discounts on reward nights.
Related: IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card review
Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
For those aiming for elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, you can unlock Platinum Elite status simply by having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. This status offers benefits like bonus points on paid stays, welcome gifts (which can range from points to a complimentary breakfast), lounge access at hotels that have these and upgrades to suites, based on availability at check-in. These benefits come with an annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees) on this card.
The next status tier below Platinum is Marriott Bonvoy’s Gold Elite status. You can get this status automatically with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card. Both cards carry an annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees of the Bonvoy Bevy card). Gold status provides benefits like enhanced internet speeds in your hotel room, upgrades to preferred rooms when available at check-in, late checkout and a welcome gift of bonus points.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Which Marriott credit card is right for you?
World of Hyatt credit cards
It’s also possible to gain elite status with World of Hyatt by holding a credit card. However, you’ll only gain Discoverist status by holding the World of Hyatt Credit Card, which has an annual fee of $95. This status offers benefits like space-available upgrades to preferred rooms — such as a preferred location within the hotel or a nicer view — complimentary bottled water each day during your stay, premium internet access and late checkout.
Hyatt elites also can match their status to MGM Rewards and enjoy benefits from Hyatt’s partnership with American Airlines. This will include earning Hyatt points for spending money on AA flights.
Related: ‘One of the most valuable hotel cards’: A review of the World of Hyatt Credit Card
Wyndham Rewards credit cards
You can gain automatic status with Wyndham Rewards through credit cards, as well. The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card offers automatic Platinum status (the third-highest of four tiers), providing benefits like rollover nights, free Wi-Fi, preferred rooms, late checkout, early check-in and a status match to Caesars Rewards. The card has a $75 annual fee.
The no-annual-fee Wyndham Rewards Earner® Card offers automatic Gold status, providing benefits like free Wi-Fi, preferred rooms and rollover nights.
The information for the Wyndham Earner and Wyndham Earner Plus cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Which Wyndham Rewards credit card is right for you?
Bottom line
Multiple credit cards can make your next trip more comfortable. From better seats on your flight to better rooms at your hotel and better experiences at airport security, what you hold in your wallet could elevate your next trip and remove stress points.
Premium credit cards can offer a range of perks and help you skip the lines at multiple points in your journey. Airline credit cards can offer perks like free checked bags, better seats and priority boarding. And hotel cards can get you free breakfast, room upgrades and late checkout.
Summer travel is hectic. These cards can remove some hassle from your trip, leaving your travel companions as one of the only potential stressors during your vacation.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Delta Reserve card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Aspire card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Surpass card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex card, click here.
Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox, Summer Hull and Stella Shon.
While you may be aware that TAP Air Portugal is a Star Alliance member, the airline’s Miles&Go loyalty program might not yet be on your radar.
You can redeem TAP Air Portugal’s miles for flights on Air Portugal or take advantage of a favorable redemption on a partner airline.
Here’s a list of TAP Air Portugal’s airline partners and how to redeem Miles&Go miles with those partners — as well as a few sweet spots to look out for.
TAP Air Portugal partner airlines
TAP Air Portugal partners with other Star Alliance airlines and several non-alliance airlines.
TAP Air Portugal partners
Star Alliance partners
Aegean Airlines.
Air Canada.
Air China.
Air India.
Air New Zealand.
All Nippon Airways (ANA).
Asiana Airlines.
Austrian Airlines.
Brussels Airlines.
Copa Airlines.
Croatia Airlines.
Ethiopian Airlines.
LOT Polish Airlines.
Lufthansa.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).
Shenzhen Airlines.
Singapore Airlines.
South African Airways.
Swiss International Air Lines.
Thai Airways.
Turkish Airlines.
United Airlines.
Non-alliance partners
Beijing Capital Airlines.
SATA Azores Airlines.
How to redeem TAP Miles&Go miles
To redeem TAP miles for any flight, you must be a TAP Miles&Go program member. Once logged in to the website, go to My Client Area and click on the “Reserve with miles” button. You also can start the booking process from the homepage.
You’ll then see a search area where you can enter your flight parameters, including cities, travel dates and whether you want a one-way, round-trip or multi-city ticket. Make sure the “Pay with miles” box is checked.
If you’d like to book a ticket on one of TAP Air Portugal’s partners, start on this page and click on the “Star Alliance” tab.
If a route is serviced by TAP and other Star Alliance carriers, you can switch to “TAP + Star Alliance” from the flight results page, and the website will perform a new search.
Unfortunately, TAP Air Portugal partners that are not part of Star Alliance can’t be booked online, so you have to call 1-800-903-7914 to redeem miles on non-alliance carriers.
Miles&Go sweet spots
There are some good ways to use Miles&Go miles. Here are a few sweet spots:
Book Emirates business class from Dubai to Asia
Using TAP airline partners, you can fly nonstop from Dubai to Tokyo or Bali for — wait for it — just 50,000 Miles&Go miles one-way. That’s not bad for spending up to 10 hours in some of the most coveted business-class seats.
Book ANA business class from Japan to India
Another sweet spot comes out of Asia, for flights between Tokyo and New Delhi, which clock in at about nine hours in length. A one-way flight in ANA’s business class cabin will set you back 50,000 Miles&Go miles and $310 in cash.
Book United economy class from U.S. mainland to the Caribbean
TAP Miles&Go charges 30,000 miles for one-way economy flights within the United States, Canada and the Caribbean, so use this to your advantage by booking award flights operated by United Airlines from the U.S. to Caribbean countries.
Earning Miles&Go miles with partners
TAP Miles&Go miles are not the easiest to earn, but you can earn them by flying TAP Air Portugal or its partner airlines. How many miles you earn depends on the fare type you book and the distance flown.
TAP Air Portugal earnings rates
Flights within Europe and North Africa earn miles at the following rates based on flight distance:
Discount: 0%.
Classic: 70%.
Plus: 100%.
Executive: 150%.
Top Executive: 200%.
Intercontinental flights earn miles at the following rates based on flight distance:
Discount: 0%.
Basic: 50%.
Classic: 100%.
Plus: 150%.
Executive: 150%.
Top Executive: 200%.
Airline partner earning rates
TAP Air Portugal partner flights earn miles similarly, but each airline has its own earning chart based on its fare classes and flight distances.
For example, here’s how many miles you can expect to earn by crediting a United flight to Miles&Go, based on flight distance:
Fare classes G, K, N: 25%.
Fare classes L, S, T: 50%.
Fare classes Q, V, W: 75%.
Fare classes A, B, E, H, M, O, R, U, Y: 100%.
Fare classes D, P, Z: 125%.
Fare classes C, J: 150%.
Other program partners
The TAP Miles&Go program partners with two additional programs: Capital One and Marriott Bonvoy. You can transfer points to TAP Air Portugal at the following ratios:
Elite benefits on partner flights
The Miles&Go program has just two status tiers for its elite members: Silver and Gold. If you’ve reached one of these status tiers, you’ll be extended some benefits when you fly other Star Alliance carriers.
TAP Miles&Go Silver status equates to Star Alliance Silver status, which comes with the following perks:
Priority reservation waitlist.
Priority airport standby.
Gold Track priority lane access.
Extra baggage allowance.
Priority boarding.
Airport lounge access.
Priority baggage handling.
Priority airport check-in.
The bottom line
As a TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go member, you can earn and redeem miles with the airline’s partners as well.
To be successful at redeeming miles for award flights, be aware of what airlines are partners with TAP Air Portugal and use your miles in a way that extracts the most value out of them.
It might take some time to learn the award charts for different regions, but it can be worth it.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Some people love to travel and have no problem spending their day in transit. However, others see air travel as a means to an end and find the whole airport experience a hassle.
There are ways to improve the experience for these travelers, including heading to an airport lounge before your flight.
A membership with Priority Pass — a global network of airport lounges, experiences and restaurants — can be a good option to gain lounge access.
Let’s look at Priority Pass lounges, how they work and some key things about the program.
1. Multiple types of airport experiences are available
Priority Pass is most known as a worldwide airport lounge program, featuring more than 1,300 locations from which to choose. However, Priority Pass isn’t just limited to lounges — it also includes experiences and discounts for its members.
The types of experiences available will depend on the airport. At some, you can get up to $28 for you and your guests to eat at eligible airport restaurants. At others, this can mean complimentary spa treatments before your flight.
And if you’re on an exceptionally long trip, you may appreciate the private bedroom suites available to Priority Pass members.
Finally, even if there aren’t lounges, restaurants or sleeping suites available, Priority Pass options may be available as discounts at select stores.
2. Not all memberships are the same
Now that we’ve discussed all the options available to Priority Pass members, there is one crucial caveat: Priority Pass has several different membership levels, and they’re not all equal.
The cheapest Priority Pass tier that will grant you lounge access costs $99 per year, but you’ll need to pay $35 for each lounge visit.
The most expensive is $469 per year but includes unlimited, complimentary visits for yourself — though you’ll still be required to pay for your guests.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Some travel credit cards offer a Priority Pass Select membership as a benefit — including Chase, Capital One and American Express.
3. Chase cards have the best memberships
The most well-known Chase card to offer Priority Pass Select membership is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which allows unlimited entry to cardholders and up to two guests.
Chase cardholders also receive additional benefits compared to other Priority Pass Select memberships.
In addition to lounge access, they get all the above experiences, including credits at restaurants, spa treatments and sleeping suites.
This isn’t the case for Priority Pass Select memberships through Capital One or American Express, which only include airport lounge access.
4. Capital One cards allow access to all authorized users
While Capital One cards don’t offer non-lounge Priority Pass access, they may be the best option if you’re trying to get a Priority Pass Select membership for more than just yourself.
This comes in handy because Capital One allows cardholders to add authorized users to their card for no fee — and authorized users are entitled to their own Priority Pass Select memberships, which include access for themselves and two free guests.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card holders also get access to Plaza Premium lounges.
5. Other cards offer more lounge access
If you don’t have a Capital One or Chase card, don’t worry. There are other choices when it comes to airport lounges.
Eligible credit cards from American Express include access to the Global Lounge Collection and a Priority Pass Select membership.
The International American Express Lounges.
Plaza Premium lounges.
Airspace lounges.
Lufthansa Business and Senator lounges.
Select Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounges.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Chase and Capital One have also been growing their networks of private lounges. However, they’re much more limited than the American Express Centurion Lounge network.
Terms apply.
6. Limited passes are an option, too
What if you don’t travel enough to justify the cost of a full Priority Pass membership? You could pay for the mid-tier membership, which costs $329 per year and includes 10 complimentary visits annually.
Or, you could get a less-expensive credit card offering similar benefits at a much lower price. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, for example, charges a $95 annual fee but provides 10 free Priority Pass visits per year. Terms apply.
Priority Pass lounges recapped
Priority Pass membership can be a valuable perk if you’re a frequent traveler, especially if you can access lounges through your credit card. However, you’ll want to remember that not all memberships are equal and that each card issuer has its own pros and cons regarding airport lounge access.
Even if you’re only on a plane a few times per year, gaining access to a lounge via Priority Pass may be worth it, especially with memberships available for less than $100 per year.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for: