✈ Delta Adds New Routes, Pre-Travel Testing Problems & More Daily News From TPG ✈

Also: 8 exciting domestic properties you can book through American Express Travel [The Points Guy]( WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY Nov 18, 2021 PRE-TRAVEL TESTING STILL A MESS Travel may be back, but it certainly isn't easy. I found that out earlier this summer during trips to [Turks and Caicos]( and [Thailand]( where trying to get a negative COVID-19 test to fly back to those countries proved unnecessarily difficult. More recently, during a trip to [Mauritius]( I had to set aside half of my last day on the island to take a three-hour round-trip ride to find a COVID-19 test. My colleague, [Scott Mayerowitz]( has a great story out about exactly how [flawed pre-travel testing can be](. In his case, he received his pre-travel test to fly to Canada, and then was pulled aside in Canada for another test. That's not exactly a bad thing, but he was told he would get his results within 72 hours. Testing upon arrival is supposed to serve as a sort of contract tracing — but it's not universal worldwide or even in the United States. And if you aren't getting your results in a timely manner, it sort of defeats the purpose. It's clear that we still have a long way to go for travel to become seamless again. This is your last reminder to register for TPG [Trivia Night]( which is tonight at 6 p.m! Victoria M. Walker, Senior Reporter FLASHSTAKES ALERT: SUPPORT COMIC RELIEF US AND ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AVIOS + RIMOWA LUXURY LUGGAGE SET 🚨 72 HOURS ONLY! Enter before November 19 at 11:59pm PT for a chance to win 100,000 Avios plus a RIMOWA luxury luggage set! ✅ Experience the art of packing with an iconic luggage set made of gleaming high-end aluminum ✅ Book travel, hotels, experiences, rental cars, and more with your Avios To enter for a chance to win, donate $10 or more and help us support Comic Relief US in their mission to create a just world free from poverty and full of opportunity. Enter now at [prizeo.com/thepointsguy](. [Enter now]( Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, [visit this page](. TODAY'S TOP STORIES [The strategies I’m using to close the gap to United 1K elite status]( There was no master plan to go for high-level elite status, it just happened. [Read more]( [8 exciting domestic properties you can book through American Express Travel]( Add these properties to your travel list. [Read more]( [Delta adds 3 new routes, defends NYC and Minneapolis hubs against competitors]( New York gets a new route and lots more flights. [Read more]( [4 things you’ll love about Royal Caribbean’s new Odyssey of the Seas]( It’s one of the most alluring Royal Caribbean ships unveiled to date. [Read more]( [How I landed a premium suite upgrade midway through my stay]( Actually getting these upgrades isn’t always easy. [Read more]( [Clear expands to Palm Beach International Airport just in time for Thanksgiving travel security woes]( The expedited security program launches at its fourth Florida airport on Nov. 17. [Read more]( [We put AA and JetBlue to the test: does the new alliance deliver on promised elite perks?]( The two airlines have already added a slew of routes and codeshares. [Read more]( THE LATEST 1 [Exclusive: Chase airport lounge coming to San Diego, alongside 3 already announced locations]( 2 [TPG’s editors’ choice award for best refreshed credit card of 2021]( 3 [Flawed COVID-19 testing protocols for international travel need to be fixed immediately]( 4 [Everything you need to know about American Airlines 500-mile upgrades]( 5 [FastPass for the chair lift: Ski resorts expand paid skip-the-line pass programs]( 6 [The Times Square ball drop in New York City is back — but people don’t seem to care]( 7 [How donating $10 to charity today could win you a Rimowa luggage set plus 100,000 Avios]( 8 [United Airlines is about to resume its longest flight]( 9 [Here’s how to use (and track) your November Amex statement credits]( 10 [Premium perks without a premium fee: United Explorer Card review]( NO PURCHASE OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR CLAIM PRIZE. NEITHER A PURCHASE NOR DONATION WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Sponsor: Comic Relief Inc., a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization, 28 Liberty Street, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10005. Beneficiary: Comic Relief Inc., a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization Administrator: Prizeo US, LLC Start Date: 10/18/2021 06:00:00 PST End Date: 01/30/2022 23:59:00 PST Drawing Date: 01/31/2022 PST Eligibility: The Sweepstakes is only open to US persons who are at least thirteen (13) years of age at the time of entry. Entrants under the age of eighteen (18) years (or the majority in their jurisdiction of legal residence) must have the permission of their parent or legal guardian to enter and/or win.. See [Official Rules]( and the [Terms of Service]( for complete terms and requirements, which shall be final and binding in all respects. Grand Prize Details: Five (5) winners of the Sweepstakes (the "Sweepstakes Winner(s)") will receive: (i) one million (1,000,000) "Avios" points, deposited directly into Sweepstakes Winner(s)’s new or existing Avios member account (Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $10,000, based on JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.’s point value estimate for this sweepstakes). One (1) Sweepstakes Winner, randomly selected from among all eligible Sweepstakes Winners, will also receive a virtual one-on-one strategy session with "The Points Guy" Brian Kelly (ARV: $1,000); (collectively, the "Sweepstakes Prize"). Taxes and Fees: Any and all federal, state, and/or local tax liabilities which may arise as a result of acceptance of all or any portion of the Sweepstakes Prize, as well as any other fees, costs and expenses not specified herein as being awarded, are the sole responsibility of the Sweepstakes Winner. Bonus Drawing Addendum Bonus Drawing Start Date: 11/16/2021 09:00:00 PST Bonus Drawing End Date: 11/19/2021 23:59:00 PST Bonus Drawing Date: 11/20/2021 PST Bonus Drawing Prize Details: One (1) winner of the Bonus Drawing (the "Bonus Drawing Winner") will win: (i) 100,000 "Avios" points, deposited directly into Bonus Drawing Winner’s new or existing Avios member account (Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $1,000 based on JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.’s point value estimate for this sweepstakes); and (ii) a RIMOWA luggage set (ARV: $2,500); (collectively, the "Bonus Drawing Prize"). Entries during the Bonus Drawing Entry Period remain eligible to win the Sweepstakes Prize. Taxes and Fees: Any and all federal, state, and/or local tax liabilities which may arise as a result of acceptance of all or any portion of the Bonus Drawing Prize, as well as any other fees, costs and expenses not specified herein as being awarded, are the sole responsibility of the Bonus Drawing Winner. The amounts(s) discussed above will be reportable to the IRS on an IRS Form 1099-MISC (Miscellaneous Information). The Bonus Drawing Winner will be required to have a valid taxpayer identification number and to complete an IRS Form W-9. The Bonus Drawing Winner may disclaim Bonus Drawing Prize in its entirety and incur no tax liability, in which case Administrator will randomly select an alternate Bonus Drawing Winner from among all remaining eligible entries. How To Enter: To enter by donating, visit [( (the “Sweepstakes Website”) prior to the Sweepstakes End Date and donate to the Sponsor's campaign to receive the number of entries stated on the Sweepstakes Website prior to finalizing your donation. All donations are final and nonrefundable. To enter without donating, visit the Sweepstakes Website and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the online entry form ("Form"). Limit: One (1) prize per person for the Sweepstakes Period. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. [fb]( [insta]( [yt]( [tw]( [in](#) [mail](mailto:tpg@thepointsguy.com) You are receiving this because you opted in at [thepointsguy.com](. Where to find us: The Points Guy 100 5th Ave., 16th Floor New York, NY 10011 USA0 USA Changed your mind? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe]( at any time. Advertiser Disclosure: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which [ThePointsGuy.com]( receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Please view our [advertising policy page]( for more information. Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. THE POINTS GUY © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2021