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Review: Is the Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card the Best Credit Card for You? Alaska Airlines discountsWhen you pay with your Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card, you'll get a $100 discount off a full Alaska Lounge+ membership. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightAlaska Airlines Business Card Fees and CostsThe Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card has an annual fee of $70 per company and $25 per card, and doesn't have foreign transaction fees, so it's a useful card to take on trips abroad. If you're not quite in that range, there are plenty of great travel rewards credit cards that you may be eligible for with good credit score, including the personal Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card (you can read our review of the Alaska Airlines credit card for more information). If you're a small-business owner and fly Alaska Airlines frequently, the Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card is worth it.

Capital One credit cards that earn Capital One miles Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One Venture Rewards Credit CardCapital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One Spark Miles for BusinessCapital One Spark Miles Select for Business Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. $0 Apply now On Capital One's website Apply now On Capital One's website Apply now On Capital One's website Learn more On Capital One's website Learn more On Capital One's websiteLet's look at the best ways to earn and redeem Capital One miles. How to Earn Capital One MilesTo earn Capital One miles, you're going to need a Capital One miles-earning credit card. Other Capital One credit cards earn rewards that can be converted into Capital One miles, but you'll need a Capital One miles-earning card to do that (we'll cover this in a minute). However, if you were to simply redeem 50,000 miles at checkout for $500 worth of travel, you would earn zero miles.

Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightThe VentureOne Rewards Card is a slimmed-down version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Review: Is the Capital One Venture One the Best Credit Card for You? Enter the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, a no-annual-fee version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Capital One may consider you for an upgrade from the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card to an annual-fee card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Unlike the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is not metal.

You can earn Marriott points from paid stays, co-branded credit cards, or flexible points transfers. How to earn Marriott pointsEarn points from Marriott Bonvoy hotel staysThere are plenty of different ways to earn Marriott points, but let's start with the simplest: earning points on hotel stays. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 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.

However, Boiardi said an earlier proposal from the industry for totally single-pilot flying by 2030 was "absolutely not realistic", because automation had not advanced far enough and solo flying required a level of safety equivalent to existing operations. Solo flying, even in cruise, needs approval from the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization, individual airlines and their pilot unions. Even limited solo flying, however, is dividing airlines and raising public fears, while sparking a growing backlash among pilot groups like the European Cockpit Association. Airbus said in a statement it was studying the concept of a single pilot in the cruise phase but not wholly single-pilot flights. Consumer resistance, however, could result in single-pilot flying starting with cargo flights, industry officials said.

☆ Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 flights this year—here’s what to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you're looking for a fun trip and a free flight, it might be time to turn your eye to Hong Kong. On Thursday, the city's leader John Lee announced Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 plane tickets this year to encourage tourism. In 2020, the Airport Authority spent $2 billion to buy tickets from airlines, including HK Express, Cathay Pacific Airways, and Hong Kong Airlines. Hong Kong will also give away 80,000 flights to city residents this summer, and another to 80,000 residents of the Greater Bay Area in the U.S., Lam said. The city's "Hello Hong Kong" campaign will include events like the Rugby Sevens tournament and a city marathon.

Hong Kong's new global promotional campaign will "kickstart" the city's reopening to international travelers, the Hong Kong Tourism Board told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Friday. As part of the "Hello Hong Kong" campaign, which was launched on Thursday, 500,000 air tickets will be given away over the next six months, starting in March. The tickets will be given out through three Hong Kong's carriers — Cathay Pacific, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines. "[But] you want to kickstart and … tell the world in a clear message that Hong Kong and then mainland — we have finally reopened." Some 80,000 tickets have also been reserved for Hong Kong residents which authorities aim to give out in the summer.

☆ Hong Kong is offering free flights to tourists across the globe, following years of COVID restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong will offer 500,000 flights to tourists all over the world, the city announced Thursday. The tickets will be distributed by Hong Kong Express, Cathay Pacific, and Hong Kong Airlines starting March 1, according to TimeOut. Hong Kong followed China's zero-COVID policy through most of the pandemic, before loosening rules last year, Reuters reported. As part of the announcement Thursday, Lee said Hong Kong will begin to host sporting and other cultural events, while highlighting its culture, Reuters reported. "We have to let outsiders know that Hong Kong has a unique status, especially when the 'one country, two systems' principles will be implemented in Hong Kong for a long time," he said.

You can get many thousands of dollars in value from Aeroplan points even if you never step foot on an Air Canada plane. Earn Aeroplan points with credit cards and points transfersThe Aeroplan® Credit Card is the only US credit card that earns Aeroplan points directly. So if you transferred 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you'd end up with 20,000 Aeroplan points, plus a 5,000-point bonus for a total of 25,000 Aeroplan points. Earn Aeroplan points flying Air CanadaThe next easiest way to rack up Aeroplan points is by actually flying Air Canada, but the earning formula is going to change later this year. As far as we know, it will look like this:Basic fares: Earn 2x points per (Canadian) dollarStandard fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarFlex/Comfort fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarLatitude fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarPremium economy fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarBusiness fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarEssentially, everything but basic economy fares will earn 3x per dollar.

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. Amex Membership Rewards points Capital One miles Chase Ultimate Rewards points Choice Privileges points Citi ThankYou points Hilton Honors points Hyatt points IHG Rewards points Marriott Bonvoy points Wyndham Rewards pointsYou travel with a large family Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. 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.

The Point.me feature in the Bilt Rewards app can help you book lie-flat business class seats to Europe with your Bilt points. $0 Annual Fee View Full Details Apply nowBilt Mastercard® 4.5 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.5 out of 5 Stars Intro offer N/A Rewards Earn 3X point on dining. But if you'd prefer an automated answer to your question, you can now find it inside the Bilt Rewards app thanks to its integration of the Point.me award booking service. $0 Annual Fee View Full Details Apply nowBilt Mastercard® 4.5 /5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.5 out of 5 Stars Intro offer N/A Rewards Earn 3X point on dining. With the power of Point.me now living inside the Bilt Rewards app, Bilt's value proposition continues to rise.

☆ Morgan Stanley says China's market will be the biggest winner in 2023 and these stocks stand out
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Since the turn of the year, investment banks have become increasingly bullish on the world's second-largest economy, upgrading their outlook on its stocks. But Morgan Stanley is going even further: It's predicting that Chinese stocks will beat global markets this year. "This actually implies that the Chinese equity market will top global equity market performance for 2023. So, this is the time to get back into China," Wang said. Stock picks Wang said the "number one trade" she would recommend to investors is to buy "large-cap, highly liquid" Chinese internet names.

☆ How China planted an FBI mole who was discovered only after gutting the CIA's vast spy network
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

At the time, four years after the handover from Britain to China, much of Hong Kong remained a world of neon and noise. "Five years ago, everyone looked down on you if you spoke Mandarin," said a Beijing executive living in Hong Kong. As soon as the Hong Kong Arts Festival ended, the Hong Kong International Film Festival began. In February 2006, Alex Ma, China's mole in the FBI, sent David photos he received from his handlers of five suspected human sources. Born in Hong Kong like Alex, Lee grew up in Hawaii and became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

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. You can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou to JetBlue, but the ratio varies depending on the rewards program. However, those miles expire after 36 months regardless of your account activity, so only transfer miles when you have immediate plans to redeem them.

How to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards pointsThe only way to earn rewards in the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem is by opening and using a Chase credit card that operates within this program. Pay Yourself Back with Chase points (up to 1.5 cents per point)During the pandemic, Chase introduced a compelling new way to redeem points for everyday, non-travel expenses. Redeem points for experiences (point values vary)You can also use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book special experiences, including one-of-a-kind events hosted by Chase. Book hotels through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portalWhile the Chase Ultimate Rewards program partners with IHG Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt, it's important to price shop awards before you transfer Chase points to these programs. For example, you may find that a Marriott stay that costs 50,000 points will only set you back 12,000 Chase points through the portal.

How to earn Alaska Airlines milesThere are two types of Alaska miles: Elite-qualifying miles and redeemable miles. Earn Alaska miles for car rentalsYou can opt-in to earn Alaska miles when you rent cars through Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, or Thrifty. Redeem Alaska miles for domestic flightsOne of the most popular ways to redeem Alaska miles is for domestic award flights on Alaska and its partner American Airlines. Redeem Alaska miles for flights on partner airlinesUsing Alaska Airlines miles for award flights on partner airlines is perhaps the best way to use your Alaska miles. Donate Alaska Airlines miles to charityYou can donate your Alaska miles to over a dozen different charities, in 1,000-mile increments, and with no maximums or fees.

☆ China’s reopening has gotten Wall Street excited. Here’s how the pros are playing it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Over the past week, a host of Wall Street banks have turned increasingly bullish on the world's second-largest economy and have upgraded their outlook on Chinese stocks. Morgan Stanley expects China's GDP to grow by an "above-consensus" 5.4% in 2023, on the back of a "fast-tracked" reopening and more proactive policy easing. Meanwhile, UBS says Chinese stocks look increasingly attractive. How to play the reopening Against this backdrop, analysts have named a slew of both Chinese and global stocks they think will benefit most from China's reopening. Bank of America's domestic reopening beneficiaries include consumer stocks such as alcoholic beverage makers Kweichow Moutai and Tsingtao Brew , airline stocks including China Southern Airlines , as well as online travel platform Trip.com .

☆ 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.

SYDNEY/BEIJING, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Airlines have boosted January international seat capacity to and from China by 9.5% over the last week as they ramp up flights after its border opening, according to aviation data provider Cirium, though flights remain at a fraction of pre-pandemic levels. International capacity to and from China scheduled for the month of February has risen by 23% over the last week and for March by 13% over the same period, Cirium data showed. A major jump in capacity is expected in April, after the start of the summer airline schedule season that begins on March 26. Seats to and from China will rise to 4.3 million a month in April, up from about 1.85 million in January, 2 million in February and 2.7 million in March, according to Cirium data. Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney and Sophie Yu in Beijing; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alaska Airlines personal and business cards are adding new benefits, including priority boarding and 2x bonus categories, but it's not all good news
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jasmin Baron | Read More | Read Less | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

Alaska Airlines credit cards are getting a makeover, with new perks and changes to earning categories. Alaska AirlinesBank of America has announced changes to the Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card and Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card . and Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card . Eligible accounts include business checking, business savings, business CDs, and Merrill business investment accounts. No other changesLike the Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card, the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card isn't making changes to its annual companion fare or 20% inflight rebate.

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.

The aviation industry, battered by years of pandemic curbs, has also been critical of the decisions to impose testing on travellers from China. China reported five new COVID deaths in the mainland for Thursday, bringing its official virus death toll to 5,264, one of the lowest in the world. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) said on Thursday it would more than double flights to mainland China. Except for airplane wastewater testing by Malaysia and Thailand for the virus, the region's 11 nations will treat Chinese travellers like any others. As many as 76% of Chinese travel agencies ranked Southeast Asia as the top destination when outbound travel resumed, according to a survey released in December by trade show ITB China.

☆ Cathay Pacific ramps up flights between Hong Kong and China as borders reopen
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The airline will resume 61 return flights from Hong Kong to 13 cities in mainland China from January 14, according to a statement Thursday. Cathay Pacific currently operates 27 flights a week from Hong Kong to the mainland, and 50 in the opposite direction. From Sunday, up to 60,000 Hong Kong residents will be able to cross the border each day as a gradual reopening begins. The cap does not apply to Hong Kong residents returning to the city from the mainland, or mainland Chinese traveling back from Hong Kong. Hong Kong gradually eased travel restrictions in the second half of last year and scrapped mandatory quarantine in September.

The Citi Premier is offering 80,000 points (worth at least $800), but this elevated bonus won't be around much longer. Citi; InsiderThe Citi Premier® Card has been offering a record-high elevated bonus since last summer, but it's about to end. If you've had your eye on the record-high welcome bonus on the Citi Premier® Card, it's your last chance to apply. Insider's valuations peg Citi ThankYou points as worth 1.6 cents apiece, on average, so this bonus is potentially worth $1,280 in travel. You can find out all the details in our Citi Premier card review.

☆ The top 20 safest airlines in the world for 2023, according to experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AirlineRatings.com has revealed the 20 safest airlines in the world for 2023, which includes five from the US. The website also revealed the top 20 safety low-cost carriers — another five of which were from the US. He also noted that the safety margins between the top 20 carriers were "very small," and that they are "all outstanding airlines." Meanwhile, the same five US carriers that made the list last year — Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines — maintained their spots in 2023. The organization also published the world's 20 safest low-cost carriers, which included five US carriers — Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.

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