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Set in the heart of one of the most romantic cities in Europe, W Florence — featured on our list of the most exciting hotel openings for 2025 — officially opened its doors on Tuesday. The historic property, formerly the Grand Hotel Majestic, now boasts 119 guest rooms, including 16 suites and a penthouse, according to Marriott. The highly-anticipated addition to Florence’s hotel scene sits on Piazza dell’Unità Italiana, just a short walk from many of the city’s most famous landmarks, including its Duomo, the Uffizi Galleries and the Ponte Vecchio. The W Florence. MARRIOTT The property is the second W Hotel in Italy, joining the W Rome. The brand plans to open a third property, the W Sardinia – Poltu Quatu, later this summer. Related: The 25 best hotels in Rome to book for your Italian holiday “The opening of W Florence marks another significant milestone in W Hotels journey, deepening our presence in Italy and strengthening our footprint across the region,” George Fleck, the senior vice president and global brand leader for W Hotels, said in a statement. “As we continue to evolve globally, this latest addition to our brand embodies our commitment to delivering bold, immersive experiences

The Emirates Skywards frequent flyer program has taken another hit. American Express Membership Rewards members are seeing a notice on their transfer pages about a change in the transfer ratio to Emirates miles … and it is not for the better. Effective Sept. 16, the Emirates Skywards transfer ratio will drop from 1:1 to 5:4. This means that for every 5 Amex points you transfer, you’ll get only 4 Emirates miles. That represents a 20% loss of value in the transfer. ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY This news comes on the heels of Citi ThankYou Rewards’ similar devaluation of Emirates transfers, from 1:1 to 1,000:800. That change is set to take effect July 27. For Amex, you still have 2 1/2 months to take advantage of the current 1:1 transfer ratio, so now is a great time to consider if any Emirates award flights could fit into your travel plans. For instance, Emirates prices its fifth-freedom routes from New York to Milan and Athens, Greece, at 87,000 miles each way in business class. With the current transfer ratio, you can turn 87,000 Amex points into Emirates miles to book one of these lie-flat seats across the Atlantic — but as of

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. You have plenty of options when it comes to booking award flights, but one of the most reliable ways to get good value is through the monthly Air France-KLM Flying Blue Promo Rewards offers. You can find these monthly discounts on this regularly updated page on the Flying Blue website. If you’re planning a trip to or from Europe, this month’s Flying Blue Promo Rewards deal could be worth considering. What is Flying Blue’s July award promotion? Airlines: Air France and KLM. Routes: Economy award fares are available on flights between select European cities and between Europe and select destinations in the Americas and Africa. Business-class seats are available on two routes to Central and South America. Cost: Short-haul economy awards start at 7,500 miles each way, long-haul economy awards start at 18,750 miles, and long-haul business-class awards start at 63,750 miles. Travel dates: Through Dec. 31. Book by: July 31. MATT MOFFITT/THE POINTS GUY July Promo Rewards between North America and Europe The July Flying Blue Promo Rewards promotion includes transatlantic routes between Europe and the following North American destinations: Toronto (from 18,750 miles each