Cirium is an aviation analytics company that combines data and analytics to assist the global travel industry. Founded in 1909 (initially launching the world’s first weekly aerospace magazine), it has evolved into a leading aviation industry insights and analytics provider.

Platinum Award for Operational Excellence 

Delta received the Platinum Award for Operational Excellence for the fourth year in a row, with an 83.46% on-time performance across over 1.7 million flights. The airline demonstrated remarkable resilience when faced with a significant setback in July 2024 due to a global CrowdStrike software disruption. Delta quickly recovered and returned to industry-leading performance levels by August with an 80.9% on-time rate, followed by an even stronger 87.81% in September. 

Global On-Time Award 2024

Aeromexico achieved an outstanding 86.70% punctuality rate across nearly 200,000 flights. Aeromexico’s achievement reflects its strategic investments in fleet modernization and technological advancements, including the expansion to 113 aircraft with an average age of just 7.1 years.

Regional Airline On-Time Winners 

North America

Unsurprisingly (thanks to its Platinum status), Delta Air Lines dominated the North American market, maintaining exceptional service standards despite operational challenges. Delta continues to excel thanks to its comprehensive training programs and culture that prioritizes safety and punctuality. 

The top ten North American airlines were: 

1. Delta Air Lines  83.46% 
2. United Airlines  80.93% 
3. Alaska Airlines  79.25% 
4. American Airlines 4 77.78%
5. Southwest Airlines 5 77.77% 
6. Spirit Airlines 6 76.05% 
7. JetBlue 7 74.53% 
8. Frontier Airlines  71.57% 
9. Air Canada  71.36%
10. WestJet 70.99%

Asia 

Japan Airlines led the region with an 80.90% on-time rate, demonstrating Japanese efficiency and precision in aviation operations. 

Europe

Iberia Express topped European carriers with an 84.69% on-time rate.

Central America

Copa Airlines achieved an impressive 88.22% on-time performance.

Middle East & Africa

FlySafair emerged as the regional leader with a remarkable 93.82% on-time rate.

Airport Excellence

While airlines have a lot to do with how punctual their flights are, the airports themselves also play a significant role in punctuality.  These are the winners for airport excellence in on-time flights. 

Riyadh King Khalid International Airport – Saudi Arabia 

The inaugural Airport Platinum Award went to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, recognizing its exceptional performance in maintaining high punctuality standards, with an 86.65% on-time performance rate. 

US Airport – Honolulu International Airport

The airport in the US with the highest on-time performance rate was Honolulu, with an impressive 85.45% rate, followed by Salt Lake City, with an impressive 83.80% rate. 

Medium Airport – Panama City Tocumen International Airport 

Medium-sized Panama City Tocumen Airport had an outstanding 90.34% punctuality score. 

Small Airports: Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport – Ecuador

Smaller airport Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo Airport achieved an impressive 91.38% on-time rate.

The post The World’s Most Punctual Airlines appeared first on SmarterTravel.

How to Know if You Might Get SSSS on Your Boarding Pass

If you’re going to get SSSS on your boarding pass, there will be a few red flags that might alert you that the designation is in your future. 

1. You’re not allowed to check in online. Not being able to check in online isn’t always a warning signal, especially for international flights, when you may need to check in in person and show your passport. However, if others you’re traveling with are able to check in online and you’re not, it’s a sign that you may be getting the SSSS designation. 
2. The airline sends you advance notice that you need to check in with an agent at the airport. 
3. You can’t use the airport kiosks to check yourself in and are directed to speak to an agent.

What Happens if You Get SSSS on Your Boarding Pass?

If you get SSSS on your boarding pass, you’ll need extra time to get through security. You will have to go through additional security screenings before being allowed to board your flight. 

After checking in, you’ll likely be escorted to a private room to have your bags thoroughly searched. You may also receive a pat-down, be swapped for explosives, and have to go through a metal detector.  

If you have a connecting flight, the SSSS designation may follow you on each leg of your trip, so be prepared to undergo additional screenings before boarding each flight. 

SSSS and TSA PreCheck or Global Entry

You can still get SSSS on your boarding pass even if you’re a TSA PreCheck member. Unfortunately, if you have been selected for SSSS, you won’t get the TSA PreCheck designation on your boarding pass and must go through the regular security line. 

However, if you receive the SSSS designation on your ticket on a return trip to the United States, you will still be able to go through the Global Entry lane as normal if you’re a member.

Why Did I Get SSSS on My Boarding Pass?

A TSA spokesperson tells SmarterTravel, “In some cases, passengers are randomly selected for additional screening.” It may just be bad luck that you’ve been selected. However, certain travel behaviors, like flying alone, buying a last-minute or one-way ticket, or traveling to certain destinations, raise a red flag on your booking. “Security measures begin long before passengers arrive at the airport,” says a spokesperson for the TSA. “TSA works closely with the intelligence and law enforcement communities to share information.”

The post What Does SSSS Mean on a Boarding Pass? appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Stay Hydrated (the Right Way)

On a long flight, the dry cabin air can quickly dehydrate you, even if you don’t feel thirsty, so staying hydrated is crucial. If you want to feel better when you disembark, don’t rely on the cups of water the flight attendants pass out—water alone isn’t always enough to maintain optimal hydration levels.

Instead, stash a few packets of electrolyte drink powder in your carry-on to mix into your water and help you rehydrate more efficiently. These drinks contain key minerals such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium that help your body retain fluids more effectively.

Wear a Posture Corrector

When you’re stuck in an economy seat, it’s human nature to slump down or try to contort yourself into any position that will make you a little bit more comfortable. Unfortunately, if you spend hours sitting down while slouched over, you’ll get off the plane with neck, shoulder, and back pain that might linger throughout your trip. We like wearing Forme’s Core V-Neck Long Sleeve shirt on long flights, a comfortable shirt with a built-in posture corrector. 

Forme’s patented posture-correcting technology gently pulls your shoulders back and down, helping to open your diaphragm so you can breathe better and also reduces back, hip, and neck pain. 

Try an In-Flight Meditation or Stretch

On most long-haul flights, you’ll find a “wellness” section alongside the in-flight movies and TV shows. These short programs guide you through relaxing meditations or gentle stretches, offering a great way to improve both your mental and physical well-being during the flight. The exercises are designed to be done in your seat (think shoulder rolls instead of downward dog), so you don’t have to worry about looking strange or disturbing your fellow passengers.

Move Every Few Hours

One of the reasons you feel so cramped and sore after getting off of a long-haul flight is that you haven’t moved from a seated position in hours. Make it a point (yes, even if you’re in an aisle seat) to stand up and walk a short distance every few hours. We don’t recommend doing laps up and down the aisle or stretches in the galley, but even a quick stroll to the bathroom and back can make a big difference. Not only will this help ease muscle stiffness, but it’s also essential for reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition where blood clots can form due to prolonged immobility.

Watch What You Eat and Drink

If you tend to emerge from the plane with a terrible headache or feeling bloated, the culprit might be your in-flight meal. Ultra-processed airplane meals are often packed with salt, which can make dehydration worse and lead to headaches. Too much salt can also contribute to “jet bloat,” which combined with the change in cabin pressure, leaves you feeling uncomfortable and swollen.

Take a Tried and True Sleeping Remedy

31,000 feet in the air is not the time to test a new sleeping pill. However, if there’s a remedy that you’ve taken previously and know works well for you (like melatonin or magnesium), taking it during your flight can help you get some much-needed rest. Getting some shut eye is really the best way to feel better after a long journey.

Wear Compression Socks

Hate stepping off the plane with swollen legs and feet? Try wearing compression socks on your next flight. Swelling in the legs and feet is common during air travel due to a mix of inactivity, cabin pressure, and dehydration. Compression socks gently apply pressure to improve blood flow, helping reduce swelling and potentially lowering the risk of DVT.

The post 7 Tips for Feeling Better on Long Haul Flights appeared first on SmarterTravel.

This regulation by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires all airlines operating flights to, from, or within the United States to provide a full refund if passengers cancel their flight within 24 hours of booking. This applies even to non-flexible fares that normally don’t allow changes or cancellations.

Under the rule, airlines must refund the full fare to the original form of payment (not via a travel voucher or flight credit) if a ticket is canceled within 24 hours of purchase—even for nonrefundable fares.

How Can This Rule Save You Money?

Imagine you bought a plane ticket, and then the next day, the airline has a big flight sale and the price for your itinerary is now lower than what you paid. If it’s been less than 24 hours since you bought your ticket, you can simply cancel the ticket and then rebook at the lower price without worrying about change or cancellation fees. 

We recommend checking the price of your ticket a few times throughout the 24 hour period after you book to see if fares decrease—this strategy often pays off, and you’ll be able to rebook and save.

Knowing about the 24-hour rule can also give you peace of mind if you see an incredibly low fare that you want to jump on. Rather than waiting on approval from your boss for time off or for your travel companion to get back to you (and potentially missing out on that cheap flight), you can simply book the ticket, and if it doesn’t work out, cancel it within 24 hours for no penalty.

If you booked a ticket quickly, you can also take advantage of the 24-hour period to double-check the information on your reservation (like making sure you didn’t misspell a passenger’s name)—something that airlines could charge you to correct.

Important Exceptions to the Rule

There are three important exceptions you should know before taking advantage of the 24-hour rule.

1. This rule only applies if you’re booking directly with the airline. If you book through an online travel agency like Expedia, you’ll have to abide by the company’s refund policy (which is usually not as lenient.) 

2. Airlines can offer customers the ability to hold a fare for free for up to 24 hours instead of providing a refund within 24 hours. Be sure to check that the airline you’re booking with doesn’t offer this before you buy your ticket—for example, American Airlines offers a free 24-hour hold on select flights. If the airline does provide this service, you can still save money by putting the fare on hold and waiting to see if the price drops within 24 before you buy the ticket. 

3. The 24-hour rule only applies to flights booked at least seven days before departure, so know that you won’t be able to get a refund if you book a ticket less than a week before your flight.

How Do You Cancel Under the 24 Hour Rule?

You don’t need to do anything special to get your full refund when canceling a flight reservation within 24 hours. Simply cancel your booking as you normally would, and the airline should promptly refund your original form of payment. 

The post Everything You Need to Know About the 24-Hour Rule appeared first on SmarterTravel.

The experts at Google Flights examined historical data for holiday flights over the last four years to determine the optimal time to buy tickets. 

When Should You Buy Flights for Thanksgiving?

According to Google Flights, you should buy Thanksgiving flights in early October. For domestic trips around Thanksgiving, prices have historically been the lowest 45 days before departure, with the cheapest deals around 26-59 days before the holiday. 

When Should You Buy Flights for Christmas?

You’ll want to buy your Christmas flights a bit earlier, as Google Flights found that domestic flights around the holiday have been the cheapest 58 days before departure. The low price range for Christmas travel is 36-72 days out, so you’ll want to lock in your flights before the end of October. 

What is the Best Day of the Week to Book Flights?

If you see a good flight deal, grab it—don’t wait until Tuesday to book it because you’ve heard that’s the best day of the week to purchase flights. Whether you’re buying tickets for the holidays or just for vacation, there’s “not much benefit to buying your tickets on a certain day of the week,” say Google Flights experts. 

Although Tuesday has historically been the cheapest day to book flights, it’s only 1.3 percent cheaper on average than Sunday, the most expensive day to buy travel.

However, the day of the week that you travel on does impact the price of your ticket—during non-holiday periods, you’ll save money by flying on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, which have been 13 percent cheaper than flying on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. With Thanksgiving always on a Thursday and Christmas falling on a Wednesday this year, this trend doesn’t apply to holiday travel.

The Best and Worst Days of the Week to Fly During the Holidays 

If you can be flexible with your holiday travel, try to avoid flying over these dates when travel booking site Hopper predicts that flights will be more expensive and airports are at their most crowded. 

“Departing the week before Thanksgiving or on the Monday ahead of the holiday will save travelers the most,” says Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. “Savvy travelers will save 23 percent or about $60 per ticket by departing on the Thursday before Thanksgiving (11/21) or the Monday of Thanksgiving week (11/25) instead of taking a weekend flight.”

The Best Days to Fly for Thanksgiving

1. Thursday, November 21
2. Monday, November 25
3. Thursday, November 28

The Worst Days to Fly for Thanksgiving

1. Sunday, December 1
2. Saturday, November 30
3. Monday, December 2
4. Wednesday, November 27
5. Saturday, November 23

Berg advises holding off until October to book Christmas flights. According to Hopper, ticket prices for domestic trips are currently averaging $406 per ticket, up four percent from this time last year. However, fares are expected to fall by about $80 until they reach their lowest point in October.

“Departing the week before Christmas or on Christmas Eve or Day will save travelers the most,” says Berg. “Savvy travelers will save 26% or about $100 per ticket by departing on Christmas Eve instead of taking a flight the weekend before the holiday.”

The Best Days to Fly for Christmas

1. Tuesday, December 31
2. Tuesday, December 17
3. Tuesday, December 24

The Worst Days to Fly for Christmas

1. Saturday, December 21
2. Friday, December 20
3. Sunday, December 22
4. Saturday, December 28
5. Friday, December 27
6. Sunday, December 29

The post When Should You Book Your Holiday Flights for 2024? appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Amazon has partnered with Southwest Airlines to offer Amazon Prime members an exclusive discount during the summer 2024 Prime Days event. From July 16 through July 17, Prime members can save up to 30% on base fares at Southwest.com using the discount code PRIME.

Click here to see full details of the sale, along with Amazon’s best Prime Day travel deals.

Some sample fares include:

• Los Angeles LAX to New York LGA $236 RT
• New York LGA to Chicago MDW $120 RT
• New York LGA to Orlando MCO $124 RT
• Boston BOS to Baltimore BWI $155 RT
• Chicago MDW to Orlando MCO $144 RT

The discount is valid for travel within the continental U.S. from August 6 through December 18 and August 13 through December 17 for travel to/from international destinations, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Some blackout dates apply.

Southwest is the first airline to partner with Amazon for Prime Day and other travel companies, offering discounts on cruises, tours, rental cars, and more.

Since 2015, Prime Day has been offering deals to Amazon Prime members. Thousands of deals are available, many perfect for travelers. This year, Prime Day runs July 16-17, 2024.

The post Save 30% on Southwest Airlines for Prime Day appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Try an Incognito Window to Browse or Clear Your Cookies

An incognito window is a way to browse the internet that doesn’t save your history, cookies, site data, or information entered on forms by users.

Some articles have debunked using incognito web browsers, claiming that if flight prices fluctuate mid-search that it’s “likely a coincidence.” However, I know first-hand from my own personal experience that browsing privately, and avoiding being tracked, has usually always paid off.

According to Million Mile Secrets, “studies show that it is a good idea to search for travel using different browsers, both logged in and incognito to find the best deal.”

At the end of the day, it won’t hurt you to try both and see what results you get. You can find out how to open an incognito web browser here.

Purchase Your Flight at the Optimal Day and Time

Comparefare states that “the best time to book a cheap flight within the U.S. is usually on a Tuesday at about 3 p.m. Eastern time.” Flights are cheaper on Tuesdays because many airlines release discounted tickets on Monday nights. 

By booking on Tuesday, Skyscanner has determined that “you’ll save somewhere between 15 and 25 percent.”  It’s also typically more affordable to fly on a weekday. Departing on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday should lower your flight cost. Flight prices tend to start increasing on Thursday, and skyrocket on the weekends.

TripSavvy keeps a running tab on how many months before departure travelers should purchase airfare for different popular destinations. The general consensus is to book “between one month to six months before departure for Europe, one month to five months before departure for the Caribbean, and ten months before departure for Asia.” Like domestic flights, international plane tickets are usually cheaper when purchased on a week day.

To be sure you get the best rate, you should be checking fares at least a few times a week.

Pick Destinations Based on What’s on Sale at the Moment

Have you ever heard of someone throwing a dart at a map, or stopping a spinning globe with a finger, and then choosing that mark as their next travel destination?

Well, if you have, the dart thrower might have spent an arm and a leg for that snap-decision, but luckily you don’t have to!

Instead, Google cheap flight destinations and see where it’s affordable to go during the time you are searching, then plan accordingly. I once met a woman who traveled to countries exclusively based on the deals she found, and that is how she was able to venture to as many exotic places as she did.

Google Promo Codes and Promotions for Your Airline of Choice

You might not know this, but some airlines offer promo codes. You can easily find them by doing a quick Google search. Simply type the words “promo code” and the airline you want to book with into the search bar to check. Bargain hunters should also know that airlines occasionally offer timely promotional deals. For example, this summer Alaska Airlines launched a three-day sale offering discounted fares on select flights for autumn 2024 travel. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for when those deals surface, which leads me to my next tip…

Check Prices Often and Sign Up for Free Price Alerts

The more you check flights for a certain destination, the more you will be able to recognize when a ticket goes “on sale.” Think about how you shop for clothes. If you watch a certain shirt you’ve been eyeing at full price suddenly dip down, you know it’s a good time to buy. The same principle holds true for flights!

If you have exact travel dates in mind, you can cut down your efforts by signing up for free price alerts. These alerts notify you when the specific trip you have your heart set on scales its price back. 

Fly on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, July 4th, or Other Major Holidays

Flying on a holiday is often considered the best time to find the cheapest ticket. Any time I wanted an economical ticket to my hometown, New York, from Los Angeles, I would sacrifice a holiday. 

I either flew directly on Christmas, Thanksgiving, or even July 4th for the cheapest rate possible. It is not always fun or ideal to give up a day that comes around only once a year, but it’s worth it if you are really trying to save big and stretch your money.

Keep in mind that if you do choose to fly in on a holiday, you probably want to budget for a shuttle, Uber or Lyft— that way you won’t be pulling your family or friends away from their festivities to meet you at arrivals.

Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates and Times

If your travel dates are adjustable, you can be patient and wait for the best deals. Patience pays at the airport. What most people don’t know is that if you are waiting to board your plane, and a flight is overbooked, it won’t be long before you hear your gate agent over the loudspeaker asking for volunteers who can wait for the next flight out. If you’re fortunate enough to have a go-with-the flow attitude and the flexibility to wait, you should because the airline will often reward you a few hundred dollars in travel vouchers for being so accommodating. 

Accrue and Use Travel Points From Airlines, Credit Cards, Etc. 

When you use the right credit cards, you can acquire points and miles to help fund your next adventure. For instance, when you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening with Capital One’s Venture Rewards card, you get a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles.

Airlines also offer loyalty programs such as frequent flyer miles or travel points that can be used towards future flights. These programs are free, and you can easily rack up miles with every flight you take with the airline, or its affiliate airlines. Once you sign up, you will receive a number that you input every time you purchase a flight on their website. Once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for a free or reduced flight.

The post 8 Tips from a Flight Attendant’s Daughter to Save Money on Your Next Flight appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Avoid making these eight mistakes the next time you fly Southwest Airlines.

Check In Late

Southwest doesn’t have assigned seats. Instead, passengers are divided into three groups (A, B, or C), determining when they will be allowed to board. To ensure that you’re among the first group to board and snag a good seat, you’ll either have to buy a Business Select fare or purchase EarlyBird Check-In. 

The remaining boarding groups are then filled in the order of people checking in, so you’ll want to ensure you check in exactly 24 hours before your flight to get in an earlier group. If you wait and check in closer to your flight time, you’ll likely be among the last people to board and get stuck in a bad seat. 

No-Show For Your Flight

Southwest Airlines has one of the most lenient cancelation policies in the airline industry, allowing you to receive a flight credit or full refund (depending on the ticket type you originally purchased). 

However, you must cancel at least 10 minutes before your flight’s original scheduled departure time in order to get a credit or refund, so it’s in your best financial interest not to no-show for a flight. 

Try to Skip the Boarding Line

If your travel companion gets the “A” boarding group and you’re stuck with the “C” boarding group, don’t try to skip the line and board with your partner. You’ll be sent back in shame to your assigned boarding group.

Stay with your assigned boarding group and only board when your letter and position number are called. 

Forget to Bring Headphones/Chargers

Don’t expect to find seatback screens on any Southwest flights. Instead, the airline offers free inflight entertainment that you can watch on your own tablet or smartphone (without having to pay for WiFi). 

However, not all Southwest planes have USB chargers or outlets at every seat, so make sure you bring a fully charged device (and backup battery) to stay entertained. And don’t forget to bring headphones—Southwest doesn’t provide or sell them onboard.

Saving Seats

Southwest doesn’t have an official policy around saving seats. However, if you board in an earlier group, it’s considered rude to save seats for someone in a later boarding group—especially if you’re trying to save an entire row (or more).

Putting Your Bag on Empty Seats

Likewise, don’t be inconsiderate and put your bag on an empty seat, hoping no one will sit next to you. Keep your belongings contained in your area so people boarding can easily see what seats are open.

Not Packing a Meal

Airlines aren’t exactly generous with in-flight meals these days, but Southwest is especially stingy. Only water will be available on flights traveling 175 miles or less. On flights over 175 miles, you’ll be offered a small bag of snack mix, graham crackers, or brownie brittle. 

Unlike many other airlines, Southwest does not offer food for purchase, so if you’re on a long-haul flight, you might want to bring your own meal or snacks. 

Crowding the Gate

At the gate for your Southwest flight, you’ll see two screens above a line of numbered poles indicating which group is boarding. The A group will line up first and board completely before the B group is called to line up. If you’re not in A group, don’t stand around the gate; you’ll crowd the area and make it harder for others to queue.

The post 8 Things You Should Never Do When Flying Southwest Airlines appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Fly First, Not Last

Sure first class is comfortable, but that’s not what I’m talking about. When flight attendants travel on stand-by, they generally try to get on the first flight of the day, and you should too. It may be early, but these flights are usually cheaper because fewer people voluntarily pay to wake up and travel to an airport before 7 a.m. These flights also have a high “no-show” factor, which accounts for passengers who overslept or decided the night before they weren’t taking their flight but didn’t cancel the reservation, so they just don’t show up. This creates a higher likelihood for empty seats that could be given to those waiting on stand-by or simply to give the passengers on-board a bit more space.

If you’re looking to arrive on time (and who isn’t?), in most cases, the aircraft operating the flight is an “originator,” meaning it’s the first flight of the day for that specific airplane, or it remained overnight at the airport (insiders would call this a “RON”), therefore your plane is already in position for your flight. Airlines try extremely hard not to delay an aircraft’s first flight of the day because it’ll cause a ripple effect for all of the flights that specific airplane will operate for the rest of the day. 

Lastly, should weather affect an on-time departure or cause a cancellation, passengers on the first flight have the benefit of subsequent flights to be rebooked on. Airlines aren’t required to pay for hotels or meals when an issue is weather-related. That could be weather where you are, where you’re going, en-route, or where your aircraft is coming from; a lot can be “caused” by weather and that could mean some unexpected expenses for those booked on flights later in the day.

Don’t Be Afraid of Oversold Flights

For those travelers that aren’t on a set schedule or can adapt to a later arrival, a money-saving opportunity may be found by booking flights that have a high likelihood of being oversold such as flights departing on Friday and Sunday between the hours of 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. These departures, before and after the weekend, are in high demand so most airlines oversell them knowing they can make some extra money by booking seats that don’t exist. They take the gamble that some people won’t show up or will misconnect, opening up seats to be filled by passengers who’ve already paid to be on board, keeping the flight profitable. However, when everyone does show up and check in, the airline has to pay. 

If a passenger is involuntarily denied boarding due to an oversold flight, federal regulations require the airline to pay high fees and compensation, so they do everything they can to avoid that and they start by asking for volunteers to take a later flight. This puts the traveler able to take a later flight in the driver’s seat of a negotiation that could score big returns. I found myself in this exact situation flying from Phoenix to San Diego. I approached the gate counter and identified myself as a volunteer. The gate agent told me that they could offer a $250 future flight credit if I could take a flight departing four hours later and they could bump me to first class. I wavered, stating that the offer sounded good, except that I would be missing dinner with friends which was one of the reasons for the trip. The agent then sweetened the deal by adding in a lounge pass to eat dinner and a refund of what I paid for the flight I would no longer be taking. Deal! I scored a $250 for a future flight credit, a free first class upgrade, and lounge access for free with a $90 refund. 

Miles Aren’t Just For Round Trip Tickets

One of the biggest perks of joining an airlines’ loyalty program, aside from earning elite status, is the ability to accrue miles that you can cash in for free flights. Over the past few years, the industry has drastically changed how those miles are earned, dropping the one mile earned for one mile flown formula and transitioning to miles earned per dollar spent. However, when it comes to redeeming those miles, everyone is on an even playing field. 

The most common thought is to exchange miles for a free round-trip ticket, but many don’t realize you can use your miles for a 50 percent discount on a round-trip reservation. 

For example, if you wanted to fly from New York to Los Angeles and back, use your miles for the one-way segment from New York to Los Angeles, and pay for your return ticket. Although you’ve redeemed miles to get to your destination, you’re earning miles on the return flight you’ve paid for, therefore putting miles back into your account while only paying for one flight out of pocket, scoring 50 percent off. 

The post 3 Incredible Money-Saving Tips from a Flight Attendant appeared first on SmarterTravel.

In honor of Independence Day, low-cost Icelandic airline PLAY is offering 35 percent off of select round-trip flights between the United States and Europe.

Fares are valid from four airports in the US: 

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
• New York Stewart International Airport (SWF)
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

What Destinations Are Included in the Sale?

The sale includes flights to Iceland, Copenhagen, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Glasgow, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg.

How to Book

The sale is valid on flights booked July 3 through July 7 at midnight Eastern Time for travel between September 1 to December 15 (for flights to Iceland, Copenhagen, London, Dublin, and Amsterdam) and September 1 to October 31 (for flights booked to Glasgow, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg.)

To get the discounted fares, book on Play’s website and use promo code: PLAY4JULY.

Note that for Play’s cheapest fare category, only a small personal item that fits under a seat is included in the ticket price. Select a Play Value or Play Flex to bring a carry-on bag with you.

The post Get Cheap Flights to Europe With Play’s July 4th Sale appeared first on SmarterTravel.