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☆ The best ways to book domestic flights using Amex Membership Rewards points
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jason Stauffer | Benji Stawski | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Below, CNBC Select details the best ways to redeem Amex points to fly for free (or nearly free) across the U.S. Best Amex cards for earning Membership Rewards pointsAmerican Express has a strong lineup of both personal and business cards that earn transferrable Membership Rewards points. How to use Amex points for domestic flightsYou can only transfer Amex points to two U.S.-based airline programs: Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue. Booking United flights with Amex points Amex Membership Rewards points don't transfer to United MileagePlus, but you can book United award flights through United's Star Alliance partners, such as Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan. By strategically transferring Amex points to partner airlines, you can use Amex points to book flights with United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and others.

David Slotnick/Business InsiderAmerican Express Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable card rewards you can earn. You'll usually get the most value from Amex points by transferring them to airline and hotel partners. In fact, the Amex Membership Rewards program debuted way back in 1991 with just seven US airline partners. More Information Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. What to know about transferring Amex points to partnersAmerican Express Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable and versatile travel rewards out there.

Louisiana parishes (which are similar to counties) have pretty consistent borrowing limits for mortgages. As a result, you can compare potential new homes in two distinct parishes without factoring in borrowing limits as much. Louisiana borrowing limits in 2023 by parishesParish Conforming mortgage borrowing limit (single-family home FHA mortgage borrowing limit (single-family home) Acadia Parish $726,200 $472,030 Allen Parish $726,200 $472,030 Ascension Parish $726,200 $472,030 Assumption Parish $726,200 $472,030 Avoyelles Parish $726,200 $472,030 Beauregard Parish $726,200 $472,030 Bienville Parish $726,200 $472,030 Bossier Parish $726,200 $472,030 Caddo Parish $726,200 $472,030 Calcasieu Parish $726,200 $472,030 Caldwell Parish $726,200 $472,030 Cameron Parish $726,200 $472,030 Catahoula Parish $726,200 $472,030 Claiborne Parish $726,200 $472,030 Concordia Parish $726,200 $472,030 De Soto Parish $726,200 $472,030 East Baton Rouge Parish $726,200 $472,030 East Carroll Parish $726,200 $472,030 East Feliciana Parish $726,200 $472,030 Evangeline Parish $726,200 $472,030 Franklin Parish $726,200 $472,030 Grant Parish $726,200 $472,030 Iberia Parish $726,200 $472,030 Iberville Parish $726,200 $472,030 Jackson Parish $726,200 $472,030 Jefferson Parish $726,200 $472,030 Jefferson Davis Parish $726,200 $472,030 Lafayette Parish $726,200 $472,030 Lafourche Parish $726,200 $472,030 La Salle Parish $726,200 $472,030 Lincoln Parish $726,200 $472,030 Livingston Parish $726,200 $472,030 Madison Parish $726,200 $472,030 Morehouse Parish $726,200 $472,030 Natchitoches Parish $726,200 $472,030 Orleans Parish $726,200 $472,030 Ouachita Parish $726,200 $472,030 Plaquemines Parish $726,200 $472,030 Pointe Coupee Parish $726,200 $472,030 Rapides Parish $726,200 $472,030 Red River Parish $726,200 $472,030 Richland Parish $726,200 $472,030 Sabine Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Bernard Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Charles Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Helena Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. James Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. John the Baptish Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Landry Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Marin Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Mary Parish $726,200 $472,030 St. Tammany Parish $726,200 $472,030 Tangipahoa Parish $726,200 $472,030 Tensas Parish $726,200 $472,030 Terrebonne Parish $726,200 $472,030 Union Parish $726,200 $472,030 Vermilion Parish $726,200 $472,030 Vernon Parish $726,200 $472,030 Washington Parish $726,200 $472,030 West Baton Rouge Parish $726,200 $472,030 West Carroll Parish $726,200 $472,030 West Feliciana Parish $726,200 $472,030 Winn Parish $726,200 $472,030Note: You'll need to get a jumbo loan if you want to borrow more than $726,200, regardless of where you want to live in Louisiana. How to determine which mortgage is right for youYou may want to consider an FHA mortgage if you don't think you'll meet the requirements for a conforming mortgage. A conforming mortgage may be a good choice if you plan on getting a home that costs more than the FHA borrowing limit in your county.

☆ See Inside Iberia's New Airbus A350-900 Cabin With Private Business Seat and Bluetooth
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Currently, Iberia flies its A350 aircraft on routes between Madrid and over a dozen destinations like Bogota, Colombia; Tel Aviv, Israel; Prague, Czech Republic; and New York City, according to Cirium data. An Iberia A350. AirbusSource: Cirium

In this guide, we'll give you a crash course on how to quickly earn credit card rewards and book free travel. If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

There have been 53 reports of tornadoes since early Tuesday morning in seven states, including three confirmed whirlwinds in Louisiana that killed three people. Reports came in from Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Typically, reports are made by citizens or law enforcement who spot the tornadoes or areas of damage. St. Charles Parish President Matthew Jewell said 55 structures were damaged during the storms, 21 of which have been deemed uninhabitable. One family had their home destroyed in Wayne, about 50 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, NBC Montana reported.

☆ Tornado touches down in Louisiana, as Alabama and Mississippi remain under watches
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Minyvonne Burke | Minyvonne Burke Is A Senior Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A tornado struck New Iberia, Louisiana, on Wednesday, briefly trapping people in their homes, police and the National Weather Service Lake Charles said. The tornado touched down in the Southport subdivision area just before 11 a.m. An NWS spokesperson said a storm survey will be conducted to determine its strength. Earlier Wednesday, tornado watches had been issued for parts of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana — where two people, including a child, were killed when a storm tore through the area Tuesday. Thousands of people in Louisiana and Mississippi remain without power after Tuesday's storms. Other injuries were reported in Farmerville, Louisiana, and in Texas after a tornado struck the city of Grapevine.

☆ American and British Airways just opened brand new joint luxury lounges at New York's biggest airport as they grow their partnership — see inside
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

But, to better streamline their operation, British Airways has moved into Terminal 8, and the pair are now officially "roommates," as American CEO Robert Isom put it at a press conference in November. (L-R): Iberia CEO Javier Sánchez-Prieto, British Airways CEO Sean Doyle, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Port Authority Executive Director Richard Cotton, Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Queen Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. cut the ribbon to the new Terminal 8 at JFK on Tuesday, November 29. Taylor Rains/Insider

You can use British Airways Avios points for much more than just flights on British Airways. EQRoy/Shutterstock.comBritish Airways Avios is the rewards currency of British Airways, the UK's flag carrier. British Airways Avios points are extremely easy to collect, with an impressive seven transfer partners. $95 Apply now On Wells Fargo's website Apply now On Citi's website Apply now On Chase's websiteThankfully, British Airways now gives you the option to pay dramatically less in fuel surcharges — but there's a catch. British Airways introduces 'Reward Flight Saver' option for all flightsBefore this change, it wouldn't be uncommon to find round-trip transatlantic award flights on British Airways with between $550 and $1,900 in taxes and fees attached (depending on the cabin).

Spain fans were dejected to see their team crash out of the tournament. "We go back to Spain crying and we will have to reflect," said Julia Calvet, 21, in a Barcelona bar. In Barcelona, Morocco fans packed into the central Raval neighbourhood to celebrate, lighting flares and singing. "We needed to win so that Moroccans have confidence in themselves in Spain," Anass, a 22-year-old Moroccan cook told Reuters in downtown Barcelona. Spain retained the enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta, which were previously colonial territories, after Morocco gained independence in 1956.

☆ Care homes group Orpea's revenue boosted by growth outside of France
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Following a decline between January and April, the group said the occupancy rate in its French retirement homes reached an average of 85.4% in the third quarter. This was an increase of 0.9 percentage points from the prior quarter, but down around 1.5 points on the year. In Orpea's largest region covering France, Benelux, Britain and Ireland, quarterly revenue increased by 1.6% organically. Meanwhile, Central Europe saw 5.3% organic revenue growth, Eastern Europe grew by 10.1%, and Orpea's smallest Iberia and Latin America region posted 17.7% growth. The first meeting with Orpea's unsecured debt holders will be held on Nov. 15, when the company will also present its transformation plan.

☆ BA-owner IAG posts Q3 profit of 1.2 bln euros as revenues recover
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - IAG (ICAG.L), owner of British Airways and Iberia, reported third-quarter adjusted operating profit of 1.21 billion euros ($1.21 billion) after revenue returned to pre-pandemic levels despite much of its Asian network remaining closed due to COVID restrictions. The airlines group said on Friday it expected its adjusted operating profit for the year to be about 1.1 billion euros, including the 467 million-euro loss it made in the first half. Revenue of 7.33 billion euros for the quarter was 0.9% higher than in 2019, even though passenger capacity was 81.1% of pre-pandemic levels. Chief Executive Luis Gallego said all of the group's airlines were significantly profitable in the quarter and it was continuing to see strong passenger demand, while capacity and load factors recover. "While demand remains strong, we are conscious of the uncertainties in the economic outlook and the ongoing pressures on households," he said.

☆ Analysis: Airbus widens A350 cabin in mile-high real estate war
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The latest salvo concerns some of the world's prime real estate - the cabin of a big jet where comfort meets cost. Airbus said in a blog it was introducing a New Production Standard (NPS) to make A350s lighter and more flexible. Changes include scraping four inches off interior walls and making the cabin longer by moving a bulkhead and squeezing the cockpit. Currently most A350 economy cabins have nine 18-inch wide seats per row. Airlines opting to add an extra seat per row to fly 10 abreast will have 17-inch wide seats.

☆ The Chase Sapphire Reserve's 80K bonus is effectively a blank airline ticket — here's how to use it to get (almost) anywhere in the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Joseph Hostetler | Credit Cards Reporter | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

By transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to airline partners, you can fly just about anywhere on earth. Show more Regular APR 19.99% - 26.99% Variable Editor's Rating 4.65 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.65 out of 5 Stars Our editor's ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available. By transferring 80,000 Chase points to Southwest, you can expect an average value of $1,120 in free flights. You can save quite a few Chase points if you're willing to pay a bit in taxes, however. Bottom lineThe 84,000 Chase points you'll have after opening the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and meeting its minimum spending requirement is basically a blank airline ticket to nearly anywhere on earth's surface.

☆ BA-owner IAG summer profit beats expectations, no weakness in forward bookings
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 13 (Reuters) - British Airways-owner IAG (ICAG.L) reported better than expected results for its key summer period due to strong demand and pricing and said that future bookings were not showing any signs of weakness, pushing its shares up as much as 10%. European airline stocks have plunged over the last six months over worries that rising household bills will dampen appetite for travel, but IAG said it was confident on future demand. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"Forward bookings remain at expected levels for the time of year, with no indication of weakness, and accordingly our fourth quarter expectations remain unchanged as of today," the group said in a statement. The full results statement is due to be announced on Oct. 28. ($1 = 1.0272 euros)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Sinchita Mitra in Bengaluru and Sarah Young in London; Editing by Savio D'Souza and James DaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU countries eye deal on more energy measures within weeks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - European Union countries will seek a November deal on more emergency measures to tackle high gas prices, officials said, although countries still disagree on what form those measures would take and whether they should cap gas prices. As Europe heads into a winter of scarce Russian gas supplies and high energy costs, EU energy ministers will meet in Prague on Wednesday to discuss their next move, having already rushed through emergency EU energy windfall profit levies, gas storage filling obligations, and electricity demand curbs. The senior EU official said that in their view countries were leaning towards the "Iberian model" of capping the price of gas used for power generation. Spain and Portugal capped the price of gas used in power generation in June, which has helped curb local power prices. The idea has gained traction among other countries, although some worry it could raise EU gas demand, since Spain's gas use increased under the measure.

☆ Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business card review: Earn 80,000 American Airlines miles and a $95 statement credit, and get perks like an annual companion certificate and free checked bag
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( Joseph Hostetler | Credit Cards Reporter | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

American Airlines benefits, including a free first checked bag and preferred boarding Check mark icon A check mark. It offers the standard American Airlines perks, such as:First checked bag free on American Airlines domestic itinerariesPreferred boarding on American Airlines flights25% discount on inflight food and beverageBut it's also got some more unique benefits, such as a 5% annual bonus on all the points you've accrued via spending and a domestic companion certificate after meeting yearly spending requirements. And remember — even if you never fly AA, American Airlines miles can be extremely useful for achieving your travel goals. American Airlines is partnered with airlines such as:Air Tahiti NuiAlaska AirlinesBritish AirwaysCathay PacificEtihadFinnairIberiaJapan AirlinesMalaysia AirlinesQantasQatar AirwaysRoyal Air MarocRoyal Jordanian AirlinesS7 Airlines (temporarily suspended)SriLankan AirlinesYou can use American Airlines to fly on any of these airlines. 25% savings on inflight American Airlines purchasesYou'll save 25% on American Airlines inflight food and drink when you use this card.

Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy4X Marriott Bonvoy Points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets2X Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases1,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points with each qualifying stayComplimentary Gold Elite statusA Free Night Award (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) after making $15,000 in purchases per year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Keep in mind that transferable credit card points — like Chase Ultimate Rewards®, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One miles — are generally more valuable than hotel points or airline miles. Read more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card:Marriott recently unveiled two new credit cards — the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

☆ How Bryan Lourd became one of the most powerful people in the history of Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Lourd, 61, isn't a household name, but he wields a stunning amount of influence in Hollywood. Lourd's Hollywood clients aren't just A-listers, they're A+-listers: Brad Pitt. An old-fashioned talent agent who loves discussing old movies and doesn't mind pointing out the flaws in his own clients' work, Lourd has become arguably the most powerful person in Hollywood. "He's one of the most powerful people in the history of Hollywood," said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. But Lourd's clients are such bankable stars that it's equally important for Hollywood executives to be friendly with him as it is beneficial for Lourd and CAA.

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). *More Rewards: Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. The Amex Travel Portal allows you to book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more with your Membership Rewards points. Other ways to use American Express pointsThere are a few other, little-known options for redeeming your American Express rewards, including:

Compare Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardInk Business Preferred® Credit Card Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Here's a look at how the two cards compare, and some factors that will help you decide between the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Ink Business Preferred: ComparisonThough similar — each charges a $95 annual fee that is not waived the first year — the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card have different sign-up bonus requirements and bonus spending categories. Here's a detailed look at the biggest differences between the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers one of the most comprehensive collections of travel protections of any rewards credit card.

British Airways is onboard with Bilt Rewards as its 10th airline transfer partner. Now there's another reason to consider joining Bilt Rewards and opening the Bilt Mastercard® — it's just added British Airways Executive Club as its 10th airline transfer partner. The addition of these partners makes Bilt Rewards points even more flexible if you want to use them for travel. With the addition of British Airways, Aer Lingus, and Iberia, Bilt Rewards now has 14 airline and hotel partners:Why transfer Bilt Rewards points to Avios? You'll typically get the most from Bilt points by transferring them to airline and hotel partners for award travel — in fact, that's why Insider values Bilt points as worth 1.65 cents each, on average.

What are credit card and bank rewards points worth? One great feature of the program is that all points are equal, so any account that earns Membership Rewards points has access to transfer partners. If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you'll earn 25% to 75% more points, depending on how much you have on deposit, but your rewards points are still worth 1 cent apiece. However, those miles expire after 36 months regardless of your account activity, so only transfer miles when you have immediate plans to redeem them. Non-elite members may transfer points to other members with the same address, provided both parties have been members for at least one year.

If you don't yet have a firm plan for your points, you can still earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points and know that they'll serve your goals. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more. Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. 4 nights at an expensive Hyatt hotelWorld of Hyatt is, in my opinion, the single greatest transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. GoogleBottom lineChase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most powerful points currencies in the free travel world.

☆ Citi AAdvantage MileUp Card review: Earn American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points on your everyday spending without an annual fee
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-09 | by ( Holly Johnson | Jasmin Baron | Freelance Writer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +26 min

Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles with no annual fee Check mark icon A check mark. Along with earning Loyalty Points from flying and partner spending, you can earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent on co-branded American Airlines cards, including the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Mastercard. Cardholders earn:2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases (including AA.com, American Airlines reservations, American Airlines Admirals Club, American Airlines Vacations, and American Airlines airport and city ticket counters)2 miles per dollar at grocery stores (supermarkets, freezer/meat locker provisioners, dairy product stores, miscellaneous food /convenience stores, markets, specialty vendors, and bakeries)1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchasesHow to use American Airlines milesThe good news about American Airlines miles is that, for the most part, they're easy to use. The discount is valid on American Airlines flights, plus American Airlines-marketed flights on Envoy Air, Republic Airways, SkyWest Airlines, Mesa Airlines, PSA Airlines, and Piedmont Airlines. Earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles with no annual fee Check mark icon A check mark.

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