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Apache is functioning normally

May 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

For many travelers, trips to large cities had little appeal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Activities like riding public transportation, touring a museum or attending a professional sporting event often took a back seat to less crowded — and less urban — experiences.

In the nation’s 25 largest markets, occupied hotel room nights (a measurement of demand) were down by 32 million in 2022 versus 2019, according to hospitality data and analytics company STR.

Outside the 25 largest markets, though, it was a different story. Hotels saw an increase of 550,000 occupied rooms throughout the rest of the country compared with 2019.

Isaac Collazo, STR’s vice president of analytics, says smaller markets did well during the pandemic while the top 25 markets suffered. He says travelers felt safer in smaller properties at less-crowded destinations.

Now, could it finally be changing?

European and U.S. cities are making a comeback

Mari Hawkins, a travel advisor with New York state-based Gemini Travel, is undoubtedly noticing a shift in her clients’ attitudes when it comes to travel and big cities.

During the pandemic, she was mainly helping clients book villas and vacation homes, where they wouldn’t have to interact with other people.

“We’ve done a complete 180. They’re going back to cities in droves,” she says, citing an increase in bookings to European cities.

“We have hundreds of people heading to Paris, Rome, Florence, Athens this summer,” said travel advisor Lauren Doyle in an email. Her company is called The Travel Mechanic and she’s based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

It’s not just travel to Europe. Collazo said a handful of major U.S. cities saw hotel room sales in the first part of 2023 outpacing pre-pandemic levels, including Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Tampa, Florida.

The ones that benefitted the most had fewer COVID-19 restrictions or lifted the restrictions earliest. But several other major U.S. cities — including the nation’s largest — are still fighting to fully regain 2019 travel volume.

“New York City’s tourism is back in full swing,” says Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City. But he quickly pivots to a caveat: “The operative word is ‘tourism.’ Business travel is nowhere near where it was.”

The lack of business travel is dragging down New York’s overall hotel occupancy rates. During peak spring break in April 2023, occupancy was down by several percentage points compared with the same month in 2019, according to STR data.

Experts are optimistic

Dandapani isn’t worried. His team predicts New York’s travel landscape won’t fully recover until 2024.

Collazo shares his optimism. Pointing to an increase in conferences and business travel this year, he emphasized the “big city” trip isn’t a thing of the past.

“There’s still appeal to go to New York City. There’s still appeal to go to New Orleans, Los Angeles,” he said.

In fact, Hawkins says her clients are so eager to travel that they are willing to spend more money on accommodations. (And they probably won’t have much choice since hotels cost about 15% more than they did before the pandemic.)

“I’m hearing from travelers that they want to go no matter what,” she says. “They’re spending money for nicer properties.”

Ultimately, that has turned out to be a feather in the cap for many New York hotels’ bottom lines, Dandapani pointed out.

“The luxury market just had bang-up numbers,” he says.

Business travelers are returning more slowly

The return of travel has been uneven since the end of the pandemic. Cities eased restrictions at different times and hotel occupancy rates have dragged, mostly due to the slow return of business travelers.

But if the demand for Europe and smaller markets in the U.S. this summer is any indication, city destinations will eventually rebound to be just as popular as they were before the pandemic.

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:

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

Here are the top credit card mistakes to stop making. These can hurt your finances, cause you to be in more debt, and more.

Even though I love credit cards because of their many benefits, I understand that they aren’t for everyone.

A family member of mine once struggled with credit cards, and they found that using a cash only budget was the best way to stay out of credit card debt. Fortunately for them, they were able to recognize their credit card mistakes and found a way to make sure they weren’t adding any debt. Part of that was being proactive and noticing they had an issue with them early on.

However, others are not as lucky.

Some people rack up large amounts of credit card debt, and they do so because they aren’t aware of the credit card mistakes they might being making. According to a study done by NerdWallet, the average household in the United States (who has debt) has an average credit card debt of $15,482.

When you add that all up, it equals $927 billion worth of credit card debt for American consumers. They break this down further and show that the average U.S. household pays around $900 in annual interest. Also, 41% of consumers say they go into credit card debt because they are spending more than they can afford, and 33% say they are adding to their debt because they can’t cover their monthly expenses.

To add to those statistics, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling released their 2018 Financial Literacy Survey and found that one in four Americans don’t pay their debts on time, one in 10 have debts in collections, and 38% of Americans carry debt from month to month.

I find these statistics incredibly saddening, especially when some of this debt is completely avoidable.

Related articles:

What I find so upsetting about these statistics is that credit card debt is what leads many to living in a debt cycle, which leads to stress, depression, frustration, and more. No one should live like that if they can avoid making many of the credit card mistakes I’ll cover today. Also, credit card debt will keep people from getting out of a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle, saving for emergencies, retiring early, and more.

While there are some instances when using credit cards may be a necessity, it sounds like many could avoid much of this credit card debt in the first place. Also, know that there are always ways to make extra income so you can pay off your debts and avoid adding debt all together.

Even if you are one of the many people making some of these common credit card mistakes, it’s never too late to make a change for the better. And, if you’re one of the many people deep in credit card debt, there are always options. While you may feel depressed or frustrated with your debt, there is always a way out.

Here are the top five credit card mistakes that lead to debt. Read below so that you can learn about the possible mistakes you may be making.

5 credit card mistakes.

1. Ignoring the terms.

Before you sign up for a credit card, you should understand all of the common terms and learn how to use a credit card. Sadly, many people do not fully understand credit card terms and that’s a leading cause for why some fall into credit card debt.

You should do your research and understand:

While these things apply to all credit cards, not every credit card is the same. So, you should know and understand the terms of each of your credit cards to really avoid this credit card mistake.

I know that the process of researching and understanding these basic credit card principles may seem like a lot of work, but if you don’t understand how your credit cards work, you may wind up in debt or farther into debt than you already are.

Your credit cards can work for you if you are careful, but if you aren’t, they can wreck your finances and your future.

2. Buying items when you can’t actually afford them.

Credit cards are not free money, but too many people treat them like they are. If you are using a credit card, you should always make sure that you have the money in cash or in your personal bank account before you think you can afford something.

That jacket, dress, video game, and so on aren’t worth the debt that they may accrue if you use a credit card to purchase them without really being able to afford it. A simple $50 dress may balloon into hundreds of dollars of credit card debt because of interest fees.

If you are finding that you are struggling with whether or not you can afford something, there are several things you can do.

Wait 24 hours, at least, to make that purchase.
Think about the other things you could use that money for.
Think about how much time you will have to work to pay for it.
Think about whether you’ve made a similar purchase that you’ve regretted.

If you just take a minute to think about those four things, you may realize that you can’t actually afford the purchase in the first place.

If you are wanting to get better about tracking your spending, check out Personal Capital. This free online tool tracks your purchases, your debt, investments, and more.

3. Forgetting to pay your credit card bill.

This credit card mistake is one that always shocks me. Even if you have the money to pay your credit card balance in full each month, that’s only good if you remember to pay your bill each month. I honestly can’t tell you how many people have told me that they don’t remember to pay their bill each month. And, many of these people could have paid the balance in full!

Paying your credit card bill late can lead to many problems. It can lead to late fees, added interest, and it can negatively affect your credit score.

If this is one of the credit card mistakes you are making, you can set up reminders on your phone, put due dates on your calendar, and more.

4. Paying only the minimum payment each month.

This is probably one of the most common credit card mistakes. Some make this mistake because they don’t have the funds to pay their full credit card balance each month, and if that’s the case, you may want to find ways to better assess your purchases before you make them.

Others only pay the minimum because they believe that’s all they need to pay in order to avoid interest charges. YES! Many people actually think this, and this is why #1 in this post is so important. Everyone needs to fully understand what “minimum payment” means and what happens if that is all that you pay.

Here’s a basic breakdown of what minimum payments are:

Minimum payments are basically the smallest amount your lender will let you pay each month.
Minimum payments lead to paying more in the long run because of interest charges.
While minimum payments may keep you in good standing, they can affect your overall credit score.

You should always try to pay more than the minimum. If you do not, you will have to pay interest charges, which may inflate your credit card debt significantly each month.

PAYING ONLY THE MINIMUM IS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE!

Related: 12 Money Hacks That Will Help You Save More Money

5. Spending money you normally wouldn’t spend in order to rack up credit card rewards points.

Credit card reward points are great, but if you spend more than you can actually afford so that you can earn “free” vacations, gifts, and more, nothing is actually free.

Some will spend more money than they have so they can reach the spending requirement needed to earn rewards points. Remember, though, those rewards are only rewards if you are using your cards responsibly.

If this is one of the credit card mistakes that you are making, this can spiral out of control if you do not keep track of how much money you are spending.

To successfully churn credit cards, you must have good to excellent credit scores, have your finances already in order, and have great organizational skills. If that doesn’t apply to you, you can always work on improving your credit score and your financial situation, which starts by first learning which of the above credit card mistakes you might be making.

Do you have credit card debt? Have you ever been guilty of making any of these credit card mistakes?

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Source: makingsenseofcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

Rates on savings accounts and certificates of deposit are seeing highs not seen for at least a decade. But what exactly impacts the rate of your bank account?

Let’s break down a few factors.

Fed rate increases push up savings rates

From March 2022 to May 2023, the Federal Reserve has steadily increased its federal funds rate, or Fed rate, from nearly zero to around 5%. These ongoing rate increases are the Fed’s attempt at curbing high inflation. The rate itself is the one U.S. banks use to borrow or lend money overnight between each other, and a higher rate means higher borrowing costs.

Banks and credit unions, in turn, take their cue from Fed rate increases to raise their rates on certain loans as well as savings accounts and certificates of deposit. Banks often fund new loans and investments using the money in customers’ bank accounts, and higher savings rates help attract more customers.

But banks don’t typically follow the Fed rate immediately, and their rates typically remain far lower. From April 2022 to May 2023, national average rates only rose from 0.06% to 0.40% for savings accounts and 0.13% to 1.59% for one-year CDs, based on a NerdWallet analysis. The biggest banks, in particular, can often lag behind most in raising savings rates.

“Historically, bank deposit rates move with other interest rates, but not very much. A lot of bank deposits are ‘sticky,’” meaning most depositors stay with a bank even if rates don’t keep up with the market, said Philip Dybvig, economist and professor of banking and finance at Washington University in St. Louis, in an email. “As a result, banks have little incentive to increase rates with the market.”

Online banks compete with higher rates

National average rates don’t tell the full story, though. If you’re an avid saver, you’re probably familiar with high-yield savings accounts and high-yield CDs. These accounts often have rates several times the national average and are mostly available at online banks and online credit unions. These branchless institutions don’t have the overhead costs of brick-and-mortar banks, so they can provide — and compete for — customers with higher rates.

In June 2022, high-yield savings rates at some online banks were around 1% to 1.25% annual percentage yield, and competitive one-year CD rates were hovering around 1.50% to 2% APY, based on NerdWallet data. In May 2023, top savings rates are closer to 4.75% APY while some one-year CD rates have surpassed 5% APY.

To take advantage of rates, compare high-yield savings accounts as a potential place for emergency savings or other short-term money goals. Rates are variable so they can change, but adding regular contributions will boost your savings and help you see the effects of compound interest over time. If you have a portion of savings that can stay untouched for months to years, high-yield CDs can offer competitive, fixed rates that also compound interest.

Other factors that affect rates

The type of bank account matters

Banks typically raise rates quickly on CDs followed by savings accounts and money market deposit accounts, Federal Reserve Bank of New York researchers said in an email.

CDs lock up funds for a fixed term, while savings and money market accounts allow for ongoing access, though they can have a monthly limit on certain withdrawals. The type of account with the most access to funds — a checking account — typically earns minimal, if any, interest. The national average for interest checking has barely budged in the past decade, based on NerdWallet analysis.

Consumers may seek higher returns outside banks

Banks have an incentive to keep interest rates on various savings accounts low to save on costs, says Daniel Talley, professor of economics and statistics at Dakota State University. But banks also have to be competitive with other opportunities that savers have.

Talley says money market mutual funds are a good example currently of getting high returns that are relatively safe and accessible as far as investments go, though they’re not federally insured like bank accounts are. Money market funds consist of short-term, high-quality investments such as U.S. Treasurys.

New York Fed researchers also called out money market funds as an example of an attractive nonbank option for depositors. Consumers may opt to take more money out of banks, which puts pressure on banks to raise their rates to keep those consumers.

Economic forecasts can play a role

The only type of bank account with fixed rates is a CD, and typically the longer a CD term, the higher the rate. You ideally get a bigger reward for keeping funds inaccessible for longer. However, CD rates in the first half of 2023 — both national average and high-yield rates — experienced an inverted yield curve, a phenomenon that originated with bonds such as Treasurys, in which long-term interest rates are lower than short-term interest rates. This type of yield curve can reflect banks’ beliefs that interest rates are headed downward, so they’re adjusting CD rates accordingly. Talley says banks might be betting that the Fed will cut rates soon to fight a possible recession.

A rising rate environment tends to be good news for saving money in bank accounts, but remember that other factors can determine the rate you get.

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

“He’s my little ball of sunshine,” Mallory Bartels says of her 13-year-old Boston terrier, Buddha. With his shiny black coat and white spots on his paws that look like socks, Bartels describes him as a sweet pup with a playful personality.

Buddha’s zest for life was apparent when he jumped off the couch in Bartels’ home near Seattle. The leap landed Buddha in urgent veterinary care with a ruptured disk and paralyzed legs that required spinal surgery.

On top of being “a bawling mess” at the vet, Bartels also received a vet bill for over $5,000. “I didn’t have savings or cash to pay for it,” she says.

According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent nearly $36 billion in veterinary care, surgical procedures, medication and other products through vet clinics in 2022. The APPA expects that number to increase by $1 billion in 2023.

How do pet owners pay for emergency pet care? Here are options plus tips to prepare when Fido or Fluffy takes a tumble and needs urgent help.

Ways to pay for emergency pet care

Savings

Savings is one of the best ways to pay for emergency vet care, says John Boyd, a certified financial planner and the founder of MDRN Wealth in Scottsdale, Arizona. He suggests clients have an emergency fund that totals three to six months of living expenses and includes money for pet care.

The type of pet can influence how much to put away. “If you’re like me and you have a Great Dane, and they’re prone to stomach issues that could cost up to $2,000, factor that into the equation when it comes to how much to save,” Boyd says.

Vet financing plans

Many vets and pet clinics offer financing plans, typically through a third party that partners with the vet. Some plans offer 0% interest financing and a quick approval process. Read the fine print to check the interest rate on the plan, and note that approval may require a hard credit check that will cause your score to dip a few points.

CareCredit Card

CareCredit is a financing option that specifically covers health care expenses for your family, including pets. You can apply online, and CareCredit typically offers 0% interest for six, 12, 18 or 24 months for expenses of $200 or more. However, if you don’t repay the full amount by the end of the promotional period, you’ll be charged interest retroactively from your original charge date.

Bartels used an existing CareCredit credit card to pay the vet bill for Buddha’s surgery. Because the account was already open, Bartels was outside the initial 0% interest period. She understood she’d be charged interest on the vet bill she put on CareCredit.

Buddha, a 13-year-old Boston terrier, waits at a veterinarian’s office. (Photo courtesy Mallory Bartels)

Credit cards

A credit card can be a convenient way to pay for emergency veterinary care if you have the available credit. However, credit card rates can be high, so paying off any accrued balance as soon as possible is important to avoid high-interest charges.

To save on interest, Bartels transferred her CareCredit balance to a credit card with a 0% annual percentage rate for 12 months. She paid a balance transfer fee, which was offset by the savings in interest. She had to add the monthly payments to her household budget, but the balance transfer card gave Bartels breathing room to pay it off.

Pet loans

Banks, credit unions and online lenders offer personal loans that can help pay for unexpected veterinary expenses. Personal loans typically have interest rates from 6% to 36% and two- to seven-year repayment periods. Depending on how much you qualify for, loans start at $1,000 and go up to $50,000 or more. For quick cash, such as in the case of a pet emergency, some lenders provide next-day funding.

For borrowers with strong credit, a personal loan may have a lower interest rate than a credit card to pay large vet bills. A shorter loan term can mean higher monthly payments but less total interest cost. Use a personal loan calculator to estimate monthly payments based on the rate and term.

Local animal welfare organizations

Animal welfare organizations in your local area can be another option for caring for your pet. These organizations typically provide services at a lower cost than a regular vet, thanks to private funding and donations.

Regarding pet care, “we understand that not everybody has the money all the time, and we try to meet people halfway,” says Erin Johnson, clinic manager for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In addition to preventive care, vet assistants at the SPCA offer a minor-needs clinic for pets that are feeling unwell, have an infection, are in minor pain or need an X-ray.

While the SPCA can help with minor injuries, Johnson recommends knowing where your nearest urgent care vet is in case of a major accident. “Have a relationship with a full-service vet so that when something does go wrong, you have somebody to go to,” Johnson says.

What about pet insurance?

Signing up for new pet insurance won’t help if you’re uninsured in an emergency, but depending on the plan and provider, pet insurance can cover a future accident.

Boyd says pet insurance can make sense if you don’t have enough emergency funds or if you have cash flow but not savings. In that situation, monthly premium payments can help provide coverage and peace of mind if something happens to your pet.

On the other hand, if you have savings for pet emergencies, “I would ditch the pet insurance and just self-insure, essentially,” Boyd says.

Buddha back in action

“He’s just been like a little pillar in my life,” says Bartels, who was relieved to have Buddha home after his operation. Although his spinal surgery was successful, the costs didn’t end. Bartels bought an orthopedic bed for Buddha to recuperate more comfortably and stairs to make it easier for him to go up or down from furniture.

Having learned the hard way about sudden emergency bills, Bartels opened a separate checking account for Buddha’s expenses. She deposits money monthly and uses the checking account’s debit card to pay for vet trips, food and other Buddha-related purchases.

“It helps me feel more comfortable that if we were put in the situation again, we’d at least have a cash buffer to help us out,” Bartels says.

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 25, 2023 by Brett Tams

The Department of Education has proposed new regulations to protect students enrolled in for-profit institutions and certificate programs from being saddled with debt they can’t afford to repay. The public has until June 20 to comment on the proposal.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the college programs that are leaving students with mountains of unaffordable debts,” said Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal in a press release from May 17.

According to Kvaal, for-profit and career colleges are at the center of the problem, and the latest proposals offer the strongest protection yet for students and others involved against what he called “low value, debt-fueled colleges.”

These provisions would put metrics in place for institutions that fall under “gainful employment” regulations — targeted primarily at nondegree programs or any for-profit educational program — to decrease the number of students left with excessive debt compared to earnings. Low-performing institutions could lose access to federal financial aid.

“These programs disproportionately target many of the lowest-income students, in many cases leaving them financially worse off than if they never attended,” Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, a nonprofit organization of public education advocates, said in an email response.

The proposal also aims to increase the transparency of out-of-pocket costs and student outcomes for all educational institutions (public, private and for-profit) by collecting and publicizing more detailed college-level data. This is especially noteworthy, Pringle said, as it’s the first time students and their families will have access to this program-level data, empowering their decision making.

Cost of attendance, nonfederal aid and average debt and earnings are just a few data points that could be collected. Students would have to acknowledge this information before receiving federal financial aid from colleges not meeting the standards.

According to the Department of Education, proposed changes could affect nearly 1,800 underperforming programs, impacting over 700,000 students. Here are the proposal details.

Programs must achieve metrics to access federal financial aid

For-profit institutions and public or private nondegree programs are required to adequately prepare students for gainful employment to access federal financial aid, according to the Higher Education Act.

To hold programs accountable, the Department of Education will require institutions to meet performance standards in two areas:

Debt to earnings. The share of a graduate’s annual income needed to make their student debt payments cannot exceed 8%. For graduates on income-based repayment plans, their debt-to-earnings ratio must be less than 20% of their discretionary income — defined as income above the 150% federal poverty guideline.

Earnings compared to high school graduates. An institution must have at least half of its graduates earning more than the typical high school graduate with no postsecondary education. Graduate income is compared to the labor force of the college’s state.

Failing one metric would force the institution to alert students that the program may lose access to federal aid. If a program fails to achieve both metrics twice within three years, the program will completely lose access to federal aid.

Public access to more detailed college-level data

The department is also pushing for greater consistency in reporting the cost and return of postsecondary education. By collecting more detailed data on the cost of attendance, potential earnings and typical debt, the federal government wants to help students and families avoid impossible debt burdens.

New data collected could include the following:

Cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies.
Licensing requirements and exam passage rates (if applicable).
Nonfederal aid amounts per student.
Amount borrowed — for federal and private loans — per student.
Earnings per student.

Information will be made public on a department-run website, requiring students to acknowledge they’ve reviewed the data points before they can receive loans for a program that does not meet federal standards.

These metrics will also feed a “watch list” of institutions that leave students with high debt and poor earnings.

Additional provisions

Proposed regulations also include changes to other government-defined regulatory areas that will better equip the agency to hold institutions accountable — both proactively and once standards have not been met. They are:

Financial responsibility. Institutions would report behavior that could indicate a higher risk of closing suddenly — such as failing to make debt payments for more than 90 days. Certain financial triggers could lead to the Department of Education requiring a letter of credit from the institution to guarantee payment.

Administrative capability. There would be greater requirements for college administration programs, like career services and financial aid offices. Proposals would also include preventing administrators with previous misconduct around federal financial aid programs from being hired.

Certification procedures. The Department of Education would like to be able to more easily adjust its agreements with institutions receiving federal financial aid.

The regulations would also make adjustments to Ability to Benefit — a provision of the Higher Education Act allowing students without a high school diploma to have access to federal financial aid.

This proposed rule is currently open for public comment. Submit comments at Regulations.gov before June 20.

The Education Department expects to finalize the rule by the end of 2023. Rules finalized by Nov. 1, 2023, will go into effect on July 1, 2024.

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 24, 2023 by Brett Tams

If you’re a cruise novice, you’ve likely never heard of cruise ship tendering.

What exactly is cruise tendering? Well, some cruise ship ports don’t allow large ocean liners to dock, in which case you have to take a smaller vessel to port. This is tendering.

Still confused? Let us explain and help you understand what it means to tender on a cruise ship

What does tender mean on a cruise?

A tender on a cruise refers to a smaller boat that takes the passengers and crew ashore. Tending is done when a vessel is too large to dock in a port of call, the water is too shallow or your ocean liner arrives later than other ships and there’s no more room left to dock.

Depending which cruise line you’re sailing with and the itinerary, tender boats can be either the cruise ship’s lifeboats or boats operated by a local company in the port of call.

Tender boats can often hold up to 200 passengers at once, so they’re quite roomy.

To avoid chaos, cruise ships typically use a ticketing system for tendering, particularly for the early groups. The ticket will list the time you can start disembarking.

Tickets aren’t required to come back on the ship, but you still have to queue up for the next tender.

What does tender port mean on a cruise?

A tender port is a seaport that requires a large ocean liner to use small boats to reach its shore.

Many cruise lines publish a list of tender port destinations, meaning you’ll have access to that information ahead of time. Tender ports should also be listed on your itinerary once you book a sailing on a tendering cruise.

Downsides of tendering on a cruise ship

You have to get in a queue

Because a tender on a cruise ship is a much smaller boat than the cruise vessel itself, it’s going to take more trips to unload all the passengers, so you’re going to have to line up for a cruise ship tender.

Even though multiple tender boats can run at once, it’s still going to take longer to get to the shore than just walking off the boat right after anchoring at a pier.

If you’re looking to be among the first passengers to disembark, some cruise lines offer priority tendering for elite members or passengers who purchased a priority access package.

Mobility issues can hinder the cruise experience

Because tender boats are small and sometimes require stairs to get into, passengers with mobility issues might have difficulty disembarking a ship while tendering.

For example, wheelchairs aren’t allowed to be transferred from the ship in a tender, which means someone using one would have to skip certain shore excursions.

You might skip some ports in bad weather

Taking a small boat in rough seas isn’t the safest method of arriving on land, so there’s a chance that your excursion could be shortened or you might skip some ports of call altogether.

Safety first, meaning you might end up with an extra day or two at sea if the winds are strong or if lightning has been spotted in the area.

Upsides of tendering on a cruise ship

You can take great photos of the ship

If you’re a photographer, taking photos of the cruise ship is rather difficult when you’re on the cruise ship. Tendering provides some great vantage points for capturing the vessel and its size from unique angles.

Option to visit remote locations

Cruise ship tendering allows you to visit ports that you normally can’t visit on a large vessel.

Additionally, because of their small size, tender boats can take you to some smaller islands or some hard-to-reach locations.

Tips for cruise ship tendering

Avoid booking early-morning excursions

If you booked a shore excursion through the cruise company, you have nothing to worry about because you’ll likely tender off together with other excursion participants earlier than others.

However, if you book an excursion with an independent tour provider, you need to factor in plenty of time to reach the shore in time for the activity. It’s best to get a tender ticket ahead of time.

Use sunscreen

The whole tendering process can take quite a bit of time because you have to queue up on the cruise ship and then spend 10 to 20 minutes on a boat. You can expect the same on the way back.

We recommend applying lots of sunscreen to protect your skin from direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

Don’t wait until the last tender

We get it. You’re in a new port of call and want to maximize every minute of it enjoying the scenery and the activities. However, we don’t recommend cutting it too close to the last tender of the day to take you back onboard.

The ship will leave you behind if you’re not back in time for scheduled departure. Allow for a few hours ahead of the final tender boat to avoid queues.

Take seasickness precautions

If you tend to get seasick, you might want to prepare in advance for potentially spending time in a moving boat.

Use motion sickness medicine to prevent nausea. Perhaps avoid drinking alcohol the night before. Once on the tender, find a seat in a more stable part of the boat, preferably with access to fresh air, and focus on the horizon.

Cruise ship tendering, recapped

Those with cruise-run excursions and elite status usually get to disembark in the first groups, but the tendering process takes time for the rest of the passengers.

Cruise ship tendering sounds inconvenient, but it can happen on any cruise. The good news is that it allows you to visit more ports and gives you a unique perspective from a photographer’s point of view.

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:

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 24, 2023 by Brett Tams

The average cost of homeowners insurance in Mississippi is $2,510 per year, or about $210 per month, according to a NerdWallet analysis. That’s considerably higher than the national average of $1,820 per year.

We’ve analyzed rates and companies across the state to find the best homeowners insurance in Mississippi. Our sample rates are for a homeowner with good credit and $300,000 dwelling coverage, $300,000 liability coverage, and a $1,000 deductible. But, of course, your rates will be different.

Note: Some insurance companies in this article may have changed their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.

Why you should trust NerdWallet

Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate inaccuracies in pricing data and may update rates for accuracy as new information becomes available.

We include rates from every locale in the country where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.

Our sample homeowner had good credit, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

The best homeowners insurance in Mississippi

If you’re looking to buy homeowners insurance from a well-rated national brand, consider one of these insurers from NerdWallet’s list of the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies.

More about the best home insurance companies in Mississippi

See more details about each company to help you decide which is best.

State Farm

Well-established insurer with a lengthy list of coverage options.

Coverage options

More than average

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Fewer than expected

State Farm

Well-established insurer with a lengthy list of coverage options.

Coverage options

More than average

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Fewer than expected

State Farm is a great choice for homeowners who like to work directly with a company representative, as the company sells policies through a vast network of agents. And its attention to customer service has paid off; the company has fewer customer complaints to state regulators than expected for a company of its size.

State Farm offers a free Ting device as a perk for home insurance policyholders. Ting is a smart plug that monitors your home’s electrical network to help prevent fires.

Farmers

Those seeking benefits like diminishing deductibles and claims forgiveness may want to consider Farmers.

Coverage options

More than average

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Fewer than expected

Farmers

Those seeking benefits like diminishing deductibles and claims forgiveness may want to consider Farmers.

Coverage options

More than average

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Fewer than expected

Homeowners policies from Farmers may include two valuable types of insurance: extended dwelling and replacement cost coverage. Extended dwelling coverage gives you extra insurance for the structure of your house, while replacement cost coverage offers higher reimbursement for stolen or destroyed belongings.

Some Farmers policies also come with perks that can save you money. For example, with claim forgiveness, Farmers won’t raise your rate for a claim as long as you haven’t filed one within the past five years.

Nationwide

For shoppers seeking a broad range of coverage options, Nationwide may fit the bill.

Coverage options

More than average

Great set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Close to expected

Nationwide

For shoppers seeking a broad range of coverage options, Nationwide may fit the bill.

Coverage options

More than average

Great set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Close to expected

We like Nationwide for its wide variety of coverage options. For example, its standard homeowners insurance policy generally includes ordinance or law coverage, which can help pay to bring your home up to current building codes after a covered claim. In addition, you can add other coverage for things like identity theft and damage from backed-up sewers and drains.

Depending on how much personal assistance you need, you can get a quote for homeowners insurance on the Nationwide website or work with a local agent instead. You can also use the website to pay bills, file claims or check claim status.

USAA

Offers perks and affordable rates for the military community.

Coverage options

Below average

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

USAA

Offers perks and affordable rates for the military community.

Coverage options

Below average

Average set of discounts

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

USAA sells homeowners insurance to veterans, active military and their families. If you fall into one of those groups, you might want to look into USAA’s offerings. The company’s homeowners policies include some unique perks, such as deductible-free coverage for military uniforms and coverage for identity theft.

Homeowners in Mississippi can participate in the company’s Connected Home program, which gives you a discount on your policy if you buy and install approved smart home devices. These include water leak sensors, cameras and thermostats.

How much does homeowners insurance cost in Mississippi?

The average annual cost of home insurance in Mississippi is $2,510. That’s 38% more than the national average of $1,820.

In most U.S. states, including Mississippi, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score.

In Mississippi, those with poor credit pay an average of $5,640 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s more than twice as much as those with good credit.

Average cost of homeowners insurance in Mississippi by city

How much you pay for homeowners insurance in Mississippi depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Jackson is $2,815 per year, while homeowners in Gulfport pay $3,650 per year, on average.

	Average annual cost	Average monthly cost



Greenville

Hattiesburg






Ocean Springs
Olive Branch



Starkville

The cheapest home insurance in Mississippi

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Mississippi average of $2,510.

What to know about Mississippi homeowners insurance

Mississippi sees a wide range of severe weather that homeowners should consider when shopping for the best homeowners insurance in the state.

Hurricanes

On the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi is vulnerable to hurricanes. These fierce storms can cause damage from strong winds, storm surge and flooding. If you’re in a coastal area, ensure you have enough wind and flood damage coverage. Read more about hurricane insurance.

Wind damage is typically included in a standard homeowners insurance policy. However, residents of coastal areas may have windstorm exclusions or a separate wind deductible. These are often a flat rate, such as $1,000 or a percentage of your dwelling coverage. For example, your policy may have a $1,000 deductible for most claims and a 1% deductible for hail or wind claims. So if your house has $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $2,500 of hail damage yourself.

If wind damage is not covered in your policy, you may be able to purchase separate wind coverage from the “windpool,” or the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association.

Flooding

Flooding is a common hazard in Mississippi, particularly in areas near rivers or other bodies of water or due to hurricanes and tropical storms. Flood damage is not typically covered by standard homeowners insurance; you’ll need to buy a separate flood insurance policy.

To find out if you’re at risk, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood maps or visit RiskFactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Even if your property is deemed low risk, it may be worthwhile to purchase flood insurance for extra peace of mind.

Remember that while you can purchase flood coverage anytime, there’s typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect. Here’s more information about flood insurance and waiting periods.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes are not uncommon in Mississippi, and they seem to be increasing in frequency. The past five years have averaged 86 tornadoes a year, up from an average of 33 a year. Much like hurricanes, the force of wind from these storms can cause significant damage to homes.

Thankfully, standard homeowners insurance will cover tornado damage, but you’ll still want to review your policy carefully. There may be a separate deductible for wind damage, as described in the hurricane section.

Thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorms that produce hail are common in Mississippi. In 2022, there were 108 reports of hail-producing thunderstorms. Hail can cause significant damage to roofs, windows, and siding. The good news for homeowners is that hail damage is often covered by standard policies.

However, as with wind damage, you may have a separate deductible for hail claims, so read your policy carefully to ensure you know what’s covered.

Mississippi insurance department

The Mississippi Insurance Department oversees the state’s insurance industry and provides consumer protection and resources. For example, its website includes guides to shopping for homeowners insurance in Mississippi, a hurricane insurance checklist and other disaster preparedness information.

You can file a complaint against your insurance company with the Mississippi Insurance Department; you can do so by mail, fax or online form. If you have questions about filing a complaint or need help, you can request assistance by email at [email protected] or toll-free at 800-562-2957.

Amanda Shapland contributed to this story.

Frequently asked questions

Is homeowners insurance required in Mississippi?

Homeowners insurance isn’t legally required in Mississippi, but your mortgage lender may require you to buy it.

Does Mississippi homeowners insurance cover flooding?

A standard homeowners policy typically doesn’t cover flooding. That means you may want to buy separate flood insurance if your home is in a high-risk area. Learn how to find the best flood insurance.

How can I save money on home insurance in Mississippi?

There are several ways to save money on homeowners insurance in Mississippi:

Shop around to make sure you’re getting the best rate.
Choose a higher deductible. In case of any claims, you’ll pay more out of pocket, but your premiums will be lower.

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 23, 2023 by Brett Tams

The Oregon-based credit union First Tech has a small suite of credit cards that includes the Choice Rewards World Mastercard. A rarity among cards, the Choice Rewards card boasts “triple zero” perks: a $0 annual fee, $0 balance transfer fee and a 0% annual percentage rate period. However, because a credit union issues the Choice Rewards card, potential cardholders must meet specific eligibility requirements to get the Choice Rewards card.

If you already belong to the First Tech credit union and could use some breathing room on interest, getting the Choice Rewards card feels like an easy, sensible choice. Everyone else will need to decide if the effort required to join the credit union is worth the benefits of the Choice Rewards card.

Here are five things to know about the First Tech Choice Rewards World Mastercard.

1. Membership is required

Only First Tech Credit Union members are eligible to apply for the Choice Rewards credit card. Nevertheless, there are many points of entry into this credit union. You can become a member if:

A family or household member is already a First Tech member.
You or a family member work for one of First Tech’s partners. The list is quite extensive and represents a range of industries.
You work for the state of Oregon.
You work or live in Lane County, Oregon.
You belong to California’s Computer History Museum, which costs as little as $15 a year.
You belong to the Financial Fitness Association. Membership costs $8 a year.

The ability to gain First Tech membership by joining the Financial Fitness Association will be especially useful for those who live outside of Oregon, where the First Tech Credit Union is headquartered. Credit union members must typically live or work near one of the union’s branches. Still, by joining the Financial Fitness Association, you can bypass that requirement for a few bucks a year.

2. It’s light on fees

One of the highlights of the Choice Rewards card is the absence of fees common in other credit cards. In addition to its $0 annual fee, the card also does away with:

The Choice Rewards card does charge up to a $25 fee for late and returned payments, but other cards usually charge as much as $40.

🤓Nerdy Tip

When you open a First Tech Rewards Checking or Savings account, you’ll get a $10 streaming subscription rebate and an extra 0.5% cash back on monthly credit card spending. Earnings from the additional 0.5% are capped at $15.

3. 0% APR period is ideal for balance transfers

As noted above, the Choice Rewards card doesn’t assess a fee on balance transfers. Most other cards charge between 3%-5% percent of the balance transfer amount, which could mean hundreds of dollars in fees.

You’ll save money on balance transfers to the Choice Rewards card thanks to its 0% APR period. If you complete the balance transfer within 90 days of account opening, you won’t pay interest on that debt for 12 billing cycles. A year of no interest charges can certainly accelerate the debt payoff process.

Be aware that you may lose the 0% APR promotion if you make a late payment before the 12 billing cycles have passed. In addition, your interest rate would increase to the current balance transfer APR of 13%-18% (as of May 2023).

Cardholders can transfer any type of loan to the Choice Rewards credit card; however, loans moved from existing First Tech Credit Union accounts do not qualify for the 0% APR period.

🤓Nerdy Tip

The Choice Rewards credit card has a minimum credit limit of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000.

4. It earns double points in popular spending categories

The Choice Rewards card earns 2 points per $1 spent on several everyday categories:

Electronics.
Grocery stores.
Household goods.
Medical expenses.
Telecommunications.

All other spending earns 1 point per $1 spent. There’s no cap on the points you can earn, and points never expire.

Points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for cash, so 1,000 points equal $10 in cash back. In addition to cash back, rewards points may be redeemed for travel, merchandise, gift cards and experiences. Minimum redemption amounts vary depending on the redemption type; cardholders must have at least 2,500 points to redeem for cash.

🤓Nerdy Tip

The Choice Rewards Mastercard has a robust list of categories that qualify for bonus points, but read the fine print so you’re familiar with what earns double points and what doesn’t. For example, food delivery services won’t count as dining and warehouse clubs like Costco aren’t classified as grocery stores.

5. It has a sweet sign-up bonus

New Choice Rewards cardholders will earn 20,000 points by spending at least $3,000 within the first 60 days of account opening. That’s equal to $200. That bonus is competitive with those offered by top-shelf credit cards such as Citi Custom Cash℠ Card and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. However, the spending threshold to earn the bonus on the Choice Rewards card is a bit higher than other cards, which can be as low as $500.

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 23, 2023 by Brett Tams

Hotel elite status can deliver some nice perks, including room upgrades, late checkout, free breakfast and even a welcome amenity.

Earning such benefits often requires staying frequently with a specific brand. However, a couple of fast-track methods can help you get elite status faster.

One is to pick up a credit card whose perks include hotel elite status. Another is to apply for a status match with a loyalty program. To qualify for a status match, you’ll generally need to have elite status already with another hotel chain.

If you plan to stay frequently with Best Western and its long roster of international brands, Best Western’s “Status Match … No Catch” program is worth a closer look.

Here’s everything you need to know about a Best Western status match.

Does Best Western status match?

Yes, Best Western does status matches — and they’re among the easiest in the loyalty industry.

Hotel loyalty programs generally offer “trial” status matches, known as challenges, that require staying a certain number of nights over a short period of time to extend the status for a year or longer. But Best Western Rewards offers direct status matches that don’t require additional stays to maintain it.

These include the following elite levels:

Gold: Typically earned after 5 qualifying nights during the calendar year.
Platinum: Typically earned after 7 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Diamond: Typically earned after 15 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Diamond Select: Typically awarded after 25 qualifying nights in a calendar year.

Those who register for a status match in 2023 will maintain that status through March 31, 2025.

How does it work?

It’s pretty straightforward. Both new and existing Best Western Rewards members can participate in a status match. Email [email protected] with the following details:

Current address.
Email address.
Phone number.
Best Western Rewards number.
Proof of elite status from another program. This can include a screenshot of your loyalty card or a recent statement that clearly shows your full name and status.

Best Western will match you to a status roughly equivalent to your current level with another program. The points you have won’t be matched, only the elite status tier.

What are the perks of elite status with Best Western?

The higher your tier, the more perks you’ll get. Those perks include:

For Gold members: 10% bonus on points earned during eligible stays, space-available room upgrades, bonus points and a bottle of water at check-in.
Platinum: 15% bonus on points during eligible stays, early check-in and late checkout subject to availability, plus Gold benefits.
Diamond: 30% bonus on points during eligible stays, plus Gold benefits.
Diamond Select: 50% bonus on points during eligible stays, plus Gold benefits.

Can you status match from a credit card?

In a sense, yes: Some credit cards include hotel elite status, and you can match that status to Best Western. Plus, Best Western itself has two co-branded credit cards that offer status automatically. Here are a few other cards that come with hotel elite status:

Additionally, some airlines offer the opportunity to fast-track your way to hotel elite status. For example, United has a partnership with Marriott Bonvoy that allows high-level elite members a direct status match. And ConciergeKey members of American Airlines’ loyalty program can receive automatic Hyatt Globalist status, with occasional matching opportunities for other tiers offered as well.

If you want to get a Best Western status match

Status matching is an easy way to secure better benefits for your next Best Western stay. All it takes is proving you have hotel elite status with another program, and you’re in for more than a year of status with Best Western Rewards.

It’s a generous offer, and since some credit cards come with hotel elite status, you might already have what you need to apply for the match.

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:

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

May 23, 2023 by Brett Tams

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:

Source: nerdwallet.com

European and U.S. cities are making a comeback

Experts are optimistic

Business travelers are returning more slowly

How to maximize your rewards

5 credit card mistakes.

1. Ignoring the terms.

2. Buying items when you can’t actually afford them.

3. Forgetting to pay your credit card bill.

4. Paying only the minimum payment each month.

5. Spending money you normally wouldn’t spend in order to rack up credit card rewards points.

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The best homeowners insurance in Mississippi

More about the best home insurance companies in Mississippi

State Farm

State Farm

Farmers

Farmers

Nationwide

Nationwide

USAA

USAA

How much does homeowners insurance cost in Mississippi?

Average cost of homeowners insurance in Mississippi by city

The cheapest home insurance in Mississippi

What to know about Mississippi homeowners insurance

Hurricanes

Flooding

Tornadoes

Thunderstorms

Mississippi insurance department

1. Membership is required

2. It’s light on fees

3. 0% APR period is ideal for balance transfers

4. It earns double points in popular spending categories

5. It has a sweet sign-up bonus

Does Best Western status match?

How does it work?

What are the perks of elite status with Best Western?

Can you status match from a credit card?

If you want to get a Best Western status match

How to maximize your rewards

TAP Air Portugal partner airlines

How to redeem TAP Miles&Go miles

Miles&Go sweet spots

Book Emirates business class from Dubai to Asia

Book ANA business class from Japan to India