Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about TAP Air Portugal’s Miles&Go program and whether it should become a new loyalty program option in your points and miles tool kit.

An overview of the TAP Miles&Go program

TAP Miles&Go is the loyalty program of TAP Air Portugal, based at Portugal’s Lisbon Airport (LIS), with a secondary hub at Porto Airport (OPO). The airline uses an all-Airbus fleet to transport passengers to more than 80 destinations across Europe, Africa, North America and South America.

The airline is a member of Star Alliance, so you can earn and redeem TAP Miles&Go miles on the following airlines:

• Aegean Airlines
• Air Canada
• Air China
• Air India
• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways
• Asiana Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• Avianca
• Brussels Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Croatia Airlines
• Egyptair
• Ethiopian Airlines
• EVA Airways
• LOT Polish Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Shenzhen Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways
• Swiss
• Thai Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines

The program also partners with the following nonalliance airlines:

• Azores Airlines
• Azul Brazilian Airlines
• Emirates
• Gol Airlines

Note that there may be restrictions regarding the flights you can earn or redeem miles with within these partnerships. Review the airline’s partner page on the Miles&Go website before you plan your travels so you know what to expect.

Related: The 13 best hotels in Lisbon

TAP Miles&Go elite status tiers

All members joining the program start as base-level Miles&Go members. The program then offers three elite status levels: Silver, Gold and Navigator.

Miles&Go Silver

Silver status is achieved by earning 30,000 status miles or taking 25 flights on TAP annually. Retaining the status requires 20,000 status miles or 15 flights annually. Silver status benefits include:

• 25% bonus miles on TAP flights
• Last-minute upgrades
• Guaranteed economy seat availability until 72 hours before departure when flying Plus in R, D, B and Y classes
• Dedicated phone number
• Priority standby at the airport
• Fast-track security
• Premium boarding
• Priority baggage handling
• Four Star Alliance lounge passes for Europe and North Africa TAP-operated flights; unlimited lounge access on TAP-operated intercontinental flights

Miles&Go Gold

Gold status is achieved by earning 70,000 status miles or taking 50 flights on TAP annually. Retaining the status requires 50,000 status miles or 40 flights annually. Benefits include everything for Silver status, plus:

• Star Alliance Gold status
• 50% bonus miles on TAP flights
• Up to 40% discount on companion ticket redemption
• Gift Gold status to a friend or family member
• Guaranteed Executive (business-class) seat availability until 72 hours before departure and economy seat availability until 24 hours before departure when flying Plus in R, D, B and Y classes
• One additional checked bag
• Lounge access, plus one guest when flying TAP or Star Alliance airlines
• Access to the Premium Customer Center
• Fee-free award redemptions
• Miles do not expire

Miles&Go Navigator

To achieve top-tier Navigator status, you must earn 125,000 status miles or take 70 flights on TAP annually. To retain the status, you must earn 100,000 status miles or take 70 flights annually.

The perks include everything listed above, plus:

• Free seat assignment for up to four travel companions on the same booking
• TAP Premium Lounge access for one guest, even if they are not flying with the cardholder
• Up to 10% of your status miles will be transferred to the following year’s status requirements (when you earn over 100,000 status miles in a year)
• Up to five free sports equipment checked bags
• Free unlimited Wi-Fi on Airbus A330-900 and A321-LR aircraft
• Two free business-class upgrades
• A “differentiated experience” lounge within a lounge at the TAP Premium Lounge Tejo in Lisbon

How to qualify for Miles&Go elite status

You can qualify for Miles&Go elite status by earning status miles each time you fly on TAP and flights that are part of the Star Alliance, which are separate from redeemable miles (sometimes called bonus miles in the program) and only count toward your elite status in the program. You can alternatively earn status by taking a certain number of flights on only TAP Air Portugal each year.

Unfortunately, crediting flights on the nonalliance airline partners (Azul, Emirates, Gol and Azores Airlines) will only earn redeemable miles and will not earn status miles.

You cannot earn status just through credit card spending. You must fly with TAP and/or Star Alliance partner airlines. However, you can earn 1 status mile for every 5 miles you accumulate in eligible purchases (up to 10,000 status miles per annual qualification period) if you hold the TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card. The card also comes with elitelike perks, such as premium boarding, two passes per year to the TAP Premium Lounge in Lisbon and two complimentary checked bags per year.

TAP Air Portugal also offers a unique paid membership option, separate from the elite status tiers above, called “Club TAP.” If you want to enjoy bonus miles and some status benefits without having to fly enough to earn them the traditional way, you can pay for one of five membership options, starting at $122 per year for Club Basic and up to $1,299 per year for Club Platinum+. If you have a Platinum or Platinum+ membership, you will automatically enjoy complimentary Silver status.

The program also occasionally offers status matches to elite members of select airline loyalty programs.

The information for the TAP Miles&Go Amex 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: Complete guide to airline status matches and challenges

Earning redeemable miles with TAP Miles&Go

You can earn redeemable Miles&Go miles by flying TAP Air Portugal. The amount of miles you earn depends on the ticket type purchased:

• TAP Discount (all flights): 20%
• TAP Basic (intercontinental flights): 50%
• TAP Classic (Europe and North Africa): 70%
• TAP Classic (intercontinental flights): 100%
• TAP Plus (Europe and North Africa): 100%
• TAP Plus (intercontinental flights): 150%
• TAP Executive (all flights): 150%
• TAP Top Executive (all flights): 200%

You can also earn redeemable miles by taking flights with any of TAP Air Portugal’s airline partners (Star Alliance and nonalliance partners). Each partner has a different earning rate, so check the program’s website to ensure you know how much you will earn before crediting your next flight.

The easiest way to earn lots of bonus miles in the Miles&Go program is with the right credit card. Currently, the TAP Miles&Go American Express Credit Card is offering 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first 90 days. The program is also a transfer partner of Capital One miles and Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 rate, as well as Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 rate, with a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred.

Here are some of our favorite cards with welcome offers that you can transfer to Miles&Go:

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Aside from airline partners and holding a rewards credit card, you can also earn Miles&Go miles through program partners, including:

• Hotels (Accor, IHG, Marriott, Melia and more)
• Select restaurants in Portugal
• Rental cars (Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and CarTrawler)
• Select fashion boutiques in Portugal
• Royal Caribbean cruises

You can also purchase miles from the program; however, it will cost you approximately 3.7 cents per mile, which is not a great deal.

TAP Air Portugal charges 70 euros (about $75) per 2,000 bonus miles, which is the minimum purchase amount.

Related: Best frequent flyer programs for US travelers

Redeeming miles with Miles&Go

TAP Air Portugal is a Star Alliance member, meaning you can use your Miles&Go miles for flights on the Portuguese flag carrier or any of its alliance partner airlines. Therefore, you can redeem your miles for flights on airlines such as United Airlines, Lufthansa and ANA.

Miles&Go uses two standard zone-based award charts: one for flights directly with TAP Air Portugal and another for partner award flights. Here is the chart for flights operated by TAP.

Though, in theory, these are fixed-priced award charts, in reality, flights operated by TAP Air Portugal display variable award pricing, so rates fluctuate.

For example, a round-trip business-class redemption costs 245,000 Miles&Go miles, plus 85.56 euros (about $92) in taxes and fees.

With cash rates for the same flights retailing for just under $3,000 round-trip, you’ll obtain a value of approximately 1.28 cents per mile redeemed. This is an OK, though not outstanding, way to redeem points and miles, especially when transferred from a credit card program like Capital One or Bilt.

Partner redemptions can be a fair use of Miles&Go miles; however, you should be aware of a couple of things before redeeming your miles with partners.

The first is that most redemption rates lag behind some other Star Alliance programs for many awards, making it uncompetitive as the first place to look for partner awards. The second is that TAP Air Portugal tacks on fuel surcharges for redemptions on several partner airlines.

Fortunately, other airline mileage programs are better alternatives for booking a Star Alliance award.

Here is TAP’s published award chart for Star Alliance carriers originating from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean (one-way in business class).

There are no real slam-dunk sweet spots, though flying from the West Coast to Europe for 100,000 miles each way on Lufthansa, United and Swiss is a decent deal.

It is a similar story in terms of no outstanding redemption options in economy. Redeeming 30,000 miles for a flight to Hawaii from the East Coast is an acceptable amount, though be aware that Finnair Plus charges just 11,000 Avios for the same route.

An interesting way to redeem Miles&Go miles is the unique option to convert them to status miles at a 2:1 rate. However, you can only convert a maximum of 20,000 bonus miles to earn 10,000 elite status miles each annual accrual period. Therefore, you could only redeem enough bonus miles to secure Silver status in a year.

Additionally, if you are close to earning status through flying and are short a few thousand status miles to reach the next status tier, this could be an excellent way to lock in elite status at little cost.

You could also donate your Miles&Go miles to charity partners like Assistencia Medica Internacional, Helpo and Associacao Terra dos Sonhos.

Bottom line

The TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go program is more relevant to U.S. travelers now that it is a transfer partner of Capital One miles, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

TAP Air Portugal is a Star Alliance member, so the miles earned (or transferred into) the program can be redeemed for award flights on both TAP and Star Alliance partners.

While you can expect OK value when redeeming Miles&Go miles for flights operated by TAP, unfortunately, the redemption rates on partner airlines are not great. As such, you should consider other Star Alliance programs, such as Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, which consistently offers better partner redemption rates.

Some 250 dogs (and their humans) will set sail in November 2025 aboard Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander, departing from Tampa Bay, Florida.

The dog-friendly cruise is a partnership between Expedia Cruises and Cruise Tails, which was specifically created to offer an annual dog-themed cruise for dog lovers.

“I consider my Yorkie, Louis, to be part of my family, and for years, I missed out on the ‘family reunion’ cruise because I will not travel without him,” Steve Matzke of Cruise Tails said. “I want to change that for myself and other dog lovers.”

Each family will be assigned “Pet Butlers” to help clean and maintain cabins and public spaces. Canine guests will also have access to private relief stations on their balconies.

Passengers will be required to provide a passport and a pet health certificate approved and signed by a licensed veterinarian. It’s also important to note that the Cruise Tails team must approve all participants. As such, applicants must agree to onboard protocols, such as keeping dogs in permitted areas and ensuring their pets’ vaccinations are up to date.

Onboard activities will include dog shows, parades, costume contests and even an ’80s-night soiree. Additionally, passengers will have the chance to score gifts and samples from vendors and take advantage of onboard training sessions. Cruisers and their pets can indulge in some pampering; humans can book a spa appointment for themselves and a session with a dog groomer or a puppy massage for their pets. When it gets hot, everyone can jump around in dog-friendly splash stations.

No dog? No problem. You can take the cruise sans Fido, but you must love dogs. Additionally, some spaces on the ship will be dog-free zones.

According to Cruise Tails, applications for the cruise will open in early 2025. To increase your chances of snagging a spot, visit the Cruise Tails website and sign up for updates. Itinerary specifics have yet to be released.

The 2,650-passenger Islander is the second ship in the Margaritaville at Sea fleet. The company is the Jimmy Buffett-affiliated oceangoing branch of the popular Margaritaville Resort brand. The ship features three pools, 12 bars and lounges, 12 dining venues, and a casino.

Typically, only service dogs are allowed on cruise ships, with the exception of Cunard, which welcomes (and pampers) both cats and dogs on its luxury 2,691-passenger Queen Mary 2 ocean liner.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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Now officially open, Grand Hyatt Deer Valley is the debut property of Deer Valley East Village, an expansion of Deer Valley Resort. Deer Valley East Village features 3,700 acres of new skiable terrain with new lifts and runs, new private residences and hotels, shopping and dining outlets, and more. Now that the property is open, World of Hyatt members can use their suite upgrades on a reservation, as Hyatt will only let you use these at properties that have officially opened their doors.

At the Grand Hyatt, 400 rooms and suites are available to folks looking to hit the slopes in the winter or enjoy Utah’s lush summers. Rooms are fresh and sleek, with 55-inch TVs, Nespresso machines and spa-inspired bathrooms. Plus, they come in a variety of configurations to fit different needs and groups.

Or, to really spread out, there are one-, two- and three-bedroom residences.

Bars and restaurants at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley are under the direction of chef Marc Marrone, chef Viktor Merenyi and mixologist Frank Maldonado (of New York City’s Employees Only fame). Remington Hall, serving rustic American food, is the hotel’s signature restaurant, while the Remington Lounge features Maldonado’s iconic cocktails.

Double Blacks offers coffee and cafe-style food (think breakfast sandwiches and croughnuts), while the Living Room serves as a family-friendly apres-ski spot. Hidden Ace, a community-focused bar, offers drinks and live music.

Other highlights of the hotel include a heated outdoor swimming pool with three hot tubs, a spa (opening next year), and a kids club with a dedicated “hangout hub” with games and activities. Since the resort is pet-friendly, there’s also a dog run and specialty dog menu.

How to book

As a World of Hyatt Category 6 property, award rates at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley start at 21,000 points per night for off-peak dates. During peak ski season, expect to spend 29,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

With the seasonality of a ski resort, looking for cash rates is a bit of a roller coaster experience. In November, rooms can be found for under $300 a night, but fast forward to January and weeknight rates fluctuate from $600 to more than $1,000 per night.

With the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you could earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. You could also earn up to an additional 30,000 bonus points by earning 2 bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Related reading: 

• Slope-side convenience and great Globalist perks: A review of the Grand Hyatt Vail
• 17 of our favorite ski-friendly resort hotels you can book using points
• The best ski resorts in the US for your next trip to the slopes

Royal Jordanian announced on Wednesday that it would add flights from IAD to Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) beginning on March 23, 2025. The Jordanian flag carrier will operate the new route on a twice-weekly basis with departures on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Flights will depart Amman at 11:45 a.m. and land in IAD at 5:45 p.m. The return service to Amman will depart IAD at 8:50 p.m. and land at AMM the following day at 3:25 p.m.

Royal Jordanian will deploy a 270-seat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on the route, which features 24 business-class seats and 246 economy seats.

When the route launches, Royal Jordanian will become the 46th airline serving IAD, which is the primary international hub for travelers heading to the nation’s capital.

While this is undoubtedly big news for flyers in the D.C. area, this isn’t exactly a new route for IAD. That’s because United Airlines already operates this 5,966-mile route.

United launched this service in March 2022, and it has historically been operated three times a week.

United suspended its Dulles-to-Amman route in August due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the general rise in tensions across the Middle East. Right now, United is scheduled to return to the market next October, though that’s subject to change.

When United eventually returns, it’ll be interesting to see how both airlines fare in this market. Of course, United has a much stronger U.S. point of sale market (as well as U.S. government contracts), but those based in Jordan and the surrounding areas might prefer to fly with a local carrier.

Another advantage to flying with United is that the airline offers many more premium seats, both in the business-class cabin and in the premium economy cabin, which Royal Jordanian doesn’t offer.

Note that Royal Jordanian is a member of the Oneworld frequent flyer alliance, and travelers can head onward from Amman to more than 50 destinations on a single ticket.

“By linking these two dynamic markets, we aim to stimulate tourism, trade and investment opportunities. This crucial connection provides seamless connectivity to the Gulf, Levant and North Africa, reinforcing our commitment to providing exceptional service and connecting people across the globe, aligning with RJ’s five-year expansion strategy,” said Royal Jordanian CEO Samer Majali, in a statement.

Washington, D.C., will become Royal Jordanian’s fourth U.S. destination, joining existing service to Chicago, Detroit and New York.

Related reading:

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• Best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status

Delta Air Lines is planning to introduce a new, third tier to its coach product in the coming months, executives confirmed Wednesday.

It’s part of a larger unbundling plan the carrier has, which could eventually see Delta offer customers a wider swath of fare options — “good, better, or best” as they’re calling it — throughout each section of its aircraft.

Value check: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?

“We’ve got all these different cabins on the airplane. But we really think there’s another way to segment them,” Delta president Glen Hauenstein explained, speaking in New York Wednesday at the Atlanta-based carrier’s annual investor day.

It’s a change that could ultimately mean a wider menu of ticket options when you’re shopping for airfare. But it could also leave customers wondering if they’ll ultimately see higher prices to get services currently included in a plane ticket.

Trying the new ‘good, better, best’ concept

Delta will begin a trial run of these new fare “subcategories” in 2025, Hauenstein said. He noted that the carrier plans to roll the concept out “from the bottom, up” — meaning, coach comes first.

Today, like its top competitors, Delta already offers two main coach products: full-fare economy and basic economy. The latter strips out certain benefits like SkyClub access, SkyMiles earnings and complimentary seat selection for travelers who spring for Delta’s lowest-fare ticket.

Basic economy was, from the outset, a product created in the 2010s as a way for the large network airlines to become more competitive with ultra-low-cost carriers offering low-base-fare, no-frills tickets.

But with increasingly sophisticated technology at their disposal, airlines are finding new ways to offer a wider menu of ticket types, with varying perks — and varying services that are excluded.

To start, Delta is planning to test a coach product that would essentially be the opposite of basic economy: a pricier main cabin tier that packs slightly better benefits than a standard coach ticket (or, at least, what a standard coach ticket would be in the future).

“We’re halfway there in terms of coach product, the main cabin product,” Hauenstein said Wednesday, referencing the existing basic economy option. “But [could] we have kind of a ‘best’ in that category — which we don’t really have?”

Exactly what would a higher-end main cabin product look like at Delta? Could we see entirely new perks like better snack or beverage options? Might it include something simpler like a free checked bag? Could Delta effectively strip away certain services currently included in a traditional coach ticket — making you buy up to the “elevated” main cabin fare to get those benefits?

It’s too early to say right now: Delta isn’t making any formal announcement about its plans to create new ticket “subcategories” just yet.

When to go: These are the best times to buy an international flight

“We’re going to test and learn along the way,” Hauenstein said.

It’s worth noting that Delta competitor American Airlines currently sells a “main select” ticket that comes with benefits like an earlier boarding group, free access to its extra-legroom Main Cabin Extra seats, and free same-day confirmed flight changes.

Beyond selling basic economy tickets, Delta does currently offer customers higher-priced main cabin tickets that are fully refundable, as shown below. It offers similar upcharges for refundability in other cabins, too.

But the airline’s long-term vision is to expand this “good, better, best” fare idea beyond coach. By the end of 2025, in fact, Hauenstein said the carrier hopes to trial new subcategories of its Comfort Plus section of the plane, too.

It’s part of Delta’s effort to further boost its profits, which have largely led the U.S. airline industry in recent years.

“I think over the next couple of years you’ll see us … really testing with what consumers want in their bundles, and what they’re willing to pay for,” Hauenstein told analysts Wednesday. “I think we’re going to transform ourselves over the next three to five years.”

These revelations come after Hauenstein seemed to tease Delta’s planned ticket “subcategories” when asked, on the company’s July earnings call, whether Delta had considered an unbundled “basic business” fare.

Collectively, it bears watching whether these changes ultimately work in customers’ favor — or whether passengers end up having to pay extra to get certain services currently included in today’s ticket price. Again, these trials are expected to unfold over the coming years.

New high-end Delta credit card on horizon?

Delta executives also used Wednesday’s investor day to introduce a little intrigue about the future of its cobranded American Express credit card portfolio.

Right now, the airline’s highest-end consumer credit card is the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. It carries a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees) and comes with perks like an annual companion ticket for travel on Delta and SkyClub access (albeit capped at 15 annual visits beginning Feb. 1, 2025).

The airline also offers lower-tier cards, such as the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, for lower annual fees.

“We’ve got the Reserve Card out there,” Hauenstein said Wednesday.

“But is there even a better card?” he pondered aloud. “We’ll put on our thinking caps on that.”

Delta has an incredibly lucrative partnership with Amex. The carrier expects to rake in more than $7 billion this year through the tie-up, up from roughly $4 billion just five years ago in 2019. Long term, the carrier has its sights set on making $10 billion annually through its Amex deal.

While it’s almost hard to imagine a credit card with a meaningfully higher annual fee than the Delta Reserve Amex, the company regularly touts its affluent customer base. It says that customers swipe their Delta Amex cards to the tune of nearly 1% of the U.S. gross domestic product.

Related reading:

• Your complete guide to the Delta SkyMiles program
• Best Delta credit cards
• What is Delta Air Lines elite status worth?
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status in 2023
• How to survive basic economy on Delta Air Lines

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, click here.

Disney Treasure shares the same layout as its sister ship, Disney Wish, but its interior spaces have unique decor and theming. The ship is dedicated to adventure and exploration, and some of its signature bars are inspired by iconic Disney theme park attractions.

Here, we give you a first look inside Disney’s newest cruise ship with photos from our ship tour. Stay tuned — TPG will be reporting from an actual sailing in December when we’ll get to experience the venues under full activation.

First impressions

Disney Treasure’s Grand Hall evokes the palaces of Africa and Asia, with a not-so-secret nod to Disney’s “Aladdin.” The central carpet has a fountain motif, and the elaborate chandelier pays homage to the six current ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet.

In addition to being everyone’s first impression of the ship after embarkation, the Grand Hall is the site of various performances, including live music and storytelling by new characters Coriander and Sage. (They will even perform after-hours stories for adults.)

From the Grand Hall, guests can set out in many directions to find adventure aboard Disney Treasure.

FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY CRUISE, CHECK OUT TPG’S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.

Disney Treasure restaurants

Plaza de Coco

Plaza de Coco is a Mexican-inspired restaurant based on the movie “Coco” and is the ship’s new addition to the included dining rotation. The space is warm and inviting with rich colors, and the hallway leading to the venue sets the tone for the meal to come, complete with family photos and an ofrenda.

The dining experience here will include live mariachi music and dancing by the characters from the “Coco” film, with two distinct shows because guests will eat dinner here twice on a weeklong sailing. The first show has a family theme, while the second celebrates Dia de los Muertos.

Don’t miss the croquetas and the spicy chocolate tart dessert.

Worlds of Marvel

The Worlds of Marvel restaurant debuted on Disney Wish and returns on Treasure. The venue will feature the same show as Wish, “Quantum Encounter,” plus a second “Guardians of the Galaxy” show entitled “Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix.” 

We saw the new show, which is sure to bring out all the good vibes with an adorable Groot. In between scenes, test your knowledge with superhero trivia.

Jumbeaux’s Sweets

Jumbeaux’s Sweets is a new ice cream parlor and candy shop inspired by Jumbeaux’s Cafe in the movie “Zootopia.” You can order all kinds of ice cream, sundaes in souvenir containers and many other treats.

While you’re here, look out for lemmings.

Disney Treasure bars

Skipper Society

Disney Treasure is introducing a handful of new, immersive bars with fun Disney themes. Skipper Society is inspired by Disney’s Jungle Cruise ride and its wisecracking skippers.

Expect lots of bad puns and drinks with a jungle theme. For a snack, try the waffles drizzled with Nutella.

Periscope Pub

Periscope Pub takes its theme from Jules Verne’s “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” (and Disney’s 1954 movie version of the book and theme park attraction).

The bar is the place to order craft beers, as well as extra-fee pub food, like a burger or soft pretzel. Don’t forget to look up, as you never know which creatures will be swimming overhead.

The Haunted Mansion Parlor

The Haunted Mansion Parlor on Disney Treasure takes a seafaring approach to the creepy-yet-beloved Haunted Mansion theme park attraction.

The bar’s show, complete with a seance and a tale of a murder at sea, unfurls in five-minute increments over the course of 1 1/2 hours. Families are welcome to enjoy the spooky ambience and fun sodas and mocktails until 9 p.m., when the space becomes adults-only.

Scat Cat Lounge

Just off the ship’s Grand Hall, the Scat Cat Lounge is inspired by Disney’s “The Aristocats” animated film.

It’s a swanky place to enjoy some jazz piano and cocktails served in glasses with cat faces. Signature drinks include tea-themed cocktails.

Other bars on board include the Hei Hei Cafe and Jade Cricket Cafe.

Disney Treasure’s cabins

Disney Treasure will have 1,256 cabins and suites ranging from windowless inside cabins to a two-story suite in the ship’s faux funnel. Cabin design will incorporate scenes from Disney movies like “Aladdin,” “Pocahontas,” “Finding Nemo,” “Up,” “Luca” and “Encanto.”

The Concierge Suites will feature nods to “The Lion King,” while the four Royal Suites pay homage to the tigers found in “The Jungle Book” and “Aladdin.”

The Royal Suites are incredible two-story suites with a living area downstairs and sleeping area upstairs, plus an expansive balcony with an infinity hot tub.

Related: Is Disney Cruise Line concierge level worth it? We tested it to find out

The most elaborate suite on the ship will be the two-story Tomorrow Tower Suite. The nearly 2,000-square-foot, multiroom suite features a futuristic design inspired by Epcot and can sleep up to eight guests. Due to its location in the ship’s faux funnel, it does not come with a private balcony.

Public spaces

Pool deck and AquaMouse

Disney Treasure’s pool deck is not just a watery playground, perfect for cooling off on hot days. It’s also the space for Disney’s signature deck parties, including the Pirate Night shows with fireworks.

Water ride AquaMouse returns on Disney Treasure with a third, new show in its rotation of animated shorts. Called “Curse of the Golden Egg,” the animation will follow Mickey and Minnie as they search for lost treasure inside an ancient temple.

Kids in diapers will have a blast at the “Toy Story”-themed splash area; I’m sure some adults will be tempted to play here, too.

Disney’s Oceaneer Club is one of the most creative kids clubs in the cruise industry, and Disney Treasure’s complimentary youth facilities are no exception. As on Disney Wish, kids (and adults) can enter the club via a slide from the Grand Hall.

Inside, a warren of adorable themed rooms offer an array of programming, from an Imagineering Lab to Marvel Academy and Fairytale Hall. Kids can design theme park rides and test them out in a ride simulator, or design their own superhero suit.

Adults can sample the fun during open-house hours; otherwise, the Oceaneer Club is kids-only.

Parents can drop off babies and toddlers at It’s a Small World Nursery for supervised nap and play time for an hourly fee.

Sarabi is a two-story activity space on board with a “Lion King” theme.

Broadway-style shows

Disney Treasure will debut “Disney The Tale of Moana” as its new Broadway-style musical. We got a sneak peek of Act 1, and the sets, puppets, costumes and choreography are breathtaking. The cast is one of the most diverse that Disney has ever had on a cruise ship, and Disney made sure that cultural consultants of Hawaiian and Samoan descent were involved in music and choreography choices.

The ship’s other shows will be “Seas the Adventure” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Disney Treasure sets sail on its maiden voyage Dec. 21, and will spend its debut sailing on alternating weeklong Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Families and cruisers of all ages are going to love this ship for its warm, welcoming decor and cleverly themed spaces.

Planning a Disney cruise? Start with these stories:

• 26 Disney cruise tips, tricks, secrets and extra magic to unlock when setting sail with Mickey
• Is a Disney cruise for adults? Here are 5 reasons why I say yes
• So you think you’re not a cruiser? Why this new ship may be the one to prove you wrong
• We tried a $10,000 concierge suite on Disney Wish to find out if it was worth the extra cost

The move comes after TPG, last month, reported the Fort Worth-based carrier was trialing the new software at three airports.

With an audible beep, the program alerts gate agents when a passenger tries to board with an earlier group than the one on their boarding pass.

American’s gate agents will also get a visual alert, TPG has learned, and they’ll ask passengers boarding out of turn to return when their group is called.

If you’re flying with a companion who’s assigned to a higher boarding group, you’ll be allowed to board with them. You’ll likely hear the system’s alert sound indicating you’ve boarded too early — but the gate agent can override it with a quick click.

Boarding groups are big business

Why this focus from American?

“Boarding is really important to our customers,” said Kim Cisek, American’s vice president of customer experience.

Indeed, it may sound trivial, but boarding groups are a key part of American’s value proposition for its higher-tier tickets, for AAdvantage elite status, and for customers who carry a cobranded American credit card.

Certain credit cards — along with elite status and premium-cabin tickets — come with higher-priority boarding groups.

And an earlier boarding group generally means more access to overhead bin space.

“Our customers want a calm boarding experience, they want it to be seamless, they want to be able to board with their group and not have other customers in front of them,” Cisek said, speaking to TPG exclusively last month at the airline’s Texas headquarters.

Just how often were travelers hopping in line ahead of their assigned group?

“It was happening often enough that we knew this was something we wanted to pursue,” Cisek acknowledged.

Expanding early trials

American trialed the technology at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport (TUS) in Arizona, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in recent weeks. The airline also ran some tests, Cisek said, at its home base, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

On top of barring travelers from boarding out of turn, American reports it’s seen an added perk at airports where it’s tested the technology: The airline has noticed passengers are generally crowing around the boarding area less, Cisek said.

American has nine boarding groups. Travelers who don’t have elite status but join the AAdvantage loyalty program typically board in Group 6.

Related reading:

• Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage
• Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
• American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Everything you need to know about flying basic economy on American Airlines

Thanks to Marriott’s partnership with Uber, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn Marriott points on Uber Eats deliveries and select Uber rides. This can help you get closer to your next free hotel stay.

For those who haven’t yet taken advantage of this partnership, there’s a new promotion that lets you earn 750 bonus points by simply linking your Marriott Bonvoy and Uber accounts — no rides or food deliveries required. The process is as simple as linking your accounts with a few taps on your phone. Frequent Miler first shared the news.

Keep reading to find out how to snag these limited-time bonus points and how to earn points on autopilot whenever you use Uber or Uber Eats.

Related: Earn more points and miles with Uber, Lyft and Starbucks apps

Earn 750 Marriott points with this promotion

We’ve seen similar deals in the past that required linking your accounts and taking a ride, but this one is even easier. All you have to do is link your Marriott Bonvoy account to your Uber account in the Uber app by Nov. 27, and you’ll get 750 bonus Bonvoy points. This bonus is only available to members who are linking their accounts for the first time.

Linking your accounts is quick and easy:

• Open the Uber app and tap “Account” in the bottom right.
• Tap “Settings” and scroll down to tap “Marriott Bonvoy” under the “Rewards” section.
• Tap “Link Account” and log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account.

Voila, that’s it! You’ll see the following confirmation at the bottom of your settings.

Getting the bonus isn’t quite as fast. According to the promotion page, your 750 bonus points may take four to six weeks to appear in your Marriott Bonvoy account.

Related: 29 best Marriott hotels in the world

Keep earning Marriott points on Uber rides and food delivery

Once your accounts are linked, you’ll not only earn 750 bonus points, but you’ll also continue earning points on qualifying Uber rides and Uber Eats orders.

You’ll earn points as follows:

• 2 points per dollar spent on U.S. UberX Reserve rides and 3 points per dollar spent on U.S. Uber Premium rides (includes UberXL, Uber Black, Uber SUV and Uber Comfort)
• 2 points per dollar spent on Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders of $40 or more delivered to Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Element hotels in the U.S.
• 1 point per dollar spent on Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders of $40 or more elsewhere in the U.S.

Marriott says it could take a few business days for Bonvoy points to post after eligible Uber rides and food deliveries. However, based on the TPG team’s experiences, the points typically post almost immediately.

If you want to maximize your rewards while still earning Marriott Bonvoy points, consider paying with a credit card that earns bonus points or miles on Uber rides or food delivery so you can effectively double dip.

Gabrielle Bernardini, TPG’s senior points and miles editor, maximizes her rewards by using The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers Uber Cash — $15 each month, plus a $20 bonus in December — to use for Uber rides or Uber Eats in the U.S. (make sure your Amex Plat is added to the Uber account and you can redeem with any Amex card). She then earns 1 American Express Membership Rewards point per dollar spent beyond those credits, which TPG values at 2 cents apiece, according to our November 2024 valuations. This is in addition to bonus Marriott points.

Related: Baby on board: You can now book Uber with a car seat in 2 major cities

Bottom line

Since this promotion ends Nov. 27, now is a great time to link your Marriott and Uber accounts and earn 750 bonus Bonvoy points, even if you don’t plan to use Uber or Uber Eats anytime soon. All future qualifying rides and orders will earn you valuable Marriott Bonvoy points that you can redeem toward free nights.

While mileage earning of AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points between American and Dublin-based Aer Lingus was implemented in December 2023, new benefits are now available for elite members of American’s Advantage program when they fly with Aer Lingus and elite Aer Lingus AerClub members when they fly with American.

Keep reading to find out the details below.

Related: American Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it

AAdvantage elite members can enjoy perks when flying Aer Lingus

AAdvantage Gold members can enjoy the following new benefits when flying with Aer Lingus:

• 40% bonus miles (a total of 7 miles per dollar spent on base fares and carrier-imposed surcharges)
• Priority check-in
• Priority boarding

AAdvantage Platinum members can enjoy:

• 60% bonus miles (a total of 8 miles per dollar spent on base fares and carrier-imposed surcharges)
• Priority check-in
• Fast-track security
• Priority boarding
• Lounge access with one guest
• One additional checked bag in economy class

AAdvantage Platinum Pro members can enjoy:

• 80% bonus miles (a total of 9 miles per dollar spent on base fares and carrier-imposed surcharges)
• Priority check-in
• Fast-track security
• Priority boarding
• Lounge access with one guest
• One additional checked bag in all classes

AAdvantage Executive Platinum members can enjoy:

• 120% bonus miles (a total of 11 miles per dollar spent on base fares and carrier-imposed surcharges)
• Priority check-in
• Fast-track security
• Priority boarding
• Lounge access with one guest
• One additional checked bag in all classes

Aer Lingus is part of the International Airlines Group, which owns Oneworld partners British Airways and Iberia. From Dec. 2, 2024, AerClub elite members can also enjoy new benefits when flying with British Airways. Members will be notified of the exact benefits in the coming days, according to a press release from Aer Lingus.

Aer Lingus operates its own lounges at Dublin Airport (DUB) — including a new U.S. Preclearance lounge called 51st&Green — plus London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). It also allows eligible passengers to access American Airlines Flagship Lounges and Admirals Clubs at all U.S. locations when departing, connecting or arriving on Aer Lingus-operated flights.

The news follows recent expansions to Aer Lingus’ U.S. route network. With the delivery of the new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, the airline will launch nonstop service from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to DUB four times per week from April 12, 2025, and from Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to DUB, also four times per week but from May 3, 2025.

The carrier will operate 24 transatlantic routes to North America and the Caribbean in 2025.

At this time, you cannot redeem AAdvantage miles to book award travel on Aer Lingus; however, American’s website states that this reciprocal perk is “coming soon.”

Related: On board the world’s first Airbus A321XLR, the aircraft that could revolutionize transatlantic travel

Bottom line

While the benefits of this airline partnership for travelers have been slow to materialize, it is great to see that elite members of American Airlines’ AAdvantage program can now enjoy various travel perks when flying Aer Lingus to Ireland or beyond.

If you hold elite status in the AAdvantage program, remember to add your membership number to your next Aer Lingus booking to take “advantage” of the new perks.

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

If you’re looking to boost your travel with a nice haul of transferable points, you might want to think about one of Citi’s most viable cards on the market.

New Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

According to TPG’s November 2024 valuations of ThankYou points at 1.8 cents apiece, that’s a bonus worth $1,350.

In the past, Citi has offered up to 80,000 ThankYou bonus points — and while that’s a pretty solid deal, 75,000 ThankYou points also offer tons of value. It’s worth noting this card underwent a very minor refresh in May; the annual fee stayed the same while some new benefits were introduced.

Let’s dive deeper into Citi’s Strata Premier Card to see what other perks it offers.

Earning points on the Strata Premier

Aside from the potential points haul the welcome bonus offers, the Citi Strata Premier is one of the best earners among rewards credit cards thanks to its various bonus categories. They include:

• 10 ThankYou points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and attractions when booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3 points per dollar at restaurants
• 3 points per dollar at supermarkets
• 3 points per dollar at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
• 3 points per dollar on air travel and hotels
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

What can you do with Citi ThankYou points?

What’s particularly valuable about ThankYou points is the ability to utilize the issuer’s 21 airline and hotel transfer partners.

After you meet the initial spending requirement of $4,000 in the first three months, you’ll have 75,000 ThankYou points — and many more if you’ve spent in the bonus categories listed above — that you can use to book travel that includes flights and hotels.

If you value simplicity, the 75,000-point welcome bonus will let you book $750 of paid travel directly through the Citi ThankYou travel portal.

You’ll earn miles and elite status on these flights by redeeming points this way, and you don’t have to worry about award availability. You could also redeem your points for $750 in gift cards.

TPG credit cards writer Danyal Ahmed is a huge fan of the Citi Strata Premier and utilizes his points exclusively by transferring them to some of Citi’s transfer partners.

He finds value in programs such as Air France-KLM Flying Blue, thanks to their standardized award chart between the U.S. and Europe. It offers business-class tickets for 50,000 points one-way, with the ability to add a free stopover.

Danyal also often transfers his Citi ThankYou points to Qatar Airways Privilege Club to book their renowned Qsuite business-class product.

Related: Everything you need to know about ThankYou points

Things to consider

Here’s the specific verbiage on application restrictions for this offer:

Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Premier® or a Citi Strata Premier℠ account in the past 48 months.

Additional perks offered by the Citi Strata Premier include:

• $100 annual hotel credit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through CitiTravel.com or by calling 1-833-737-1288)
• Free FICO credit score monitoring
• Citi Quick Lock so you can block new purchases without interrupting recurring ones
• Lost wallet protection for emergency cash
• Citi Concierge access
• Complimentary ShopRunner membership
• No foreign transaction fees
• Citi Entertainment
• Extended warranty on purchases

The card also offers the following travel protections:

• Trip cancellation and interruption protection
• Trip delay protection
• Lost or damaged luggage insurance
• Car rental coverage

Bottom line

Between the welcome bonus, extra points earned through the ThankYou portal, earning 3 points per dollar on a wide range of popular bonus categories and valuable transfer partners, the Citi Strata Premier Card is a great travel rewards credit card.

You can easily rack up ThankYou points through everyday spending on gas, EV charging, groceries and dining purchases without a cap on how many points you can earn.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi Strata Premier Card.

Apply here: Citi Strata Premier

Related: Better together: Why the Citi Strata Premier and Rewards+ cards are a great pair