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The Fourth of July travel rush is here, and it’s shaping up to be the busiest ever. Despite flight schedule cuts and lingering concerns about travel demand this summer, recent weeks have brought several of the busiest days ever at U.S. airports. They’ve also brought plenty of headaches. The more you know: The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare This week, as summer thunderstorms have slammed pockets of the country, flight cancellations and delays have piled up. More than 40,000 departures have been scrapped or delayed since Saturday, according to data from FlightAware, affecting millions of passengers. And that’s with the peak Fourth of July rush still to come. How that goes will largely hinge on how Mother Nature cooperates. Stormy conditions at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY Here’s what to know about the crowds, the travel woes and how to prepare for one of the busiest weeks ever at U.S. airports. Record-setting crowds Summer began with a dark cloud, of sorts, hanging over the travel industry. Airlines warned of softening demand as consumers tightened budgets in the face of economic concerns. Would airports be packed again after a few summers’ worth of

American Airlines’ big bet on premium is getting even bigger. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline announced on Wednesday three exciting updates related to its new flagship jet, the Boeing 787-9P, which debuted last month after years of anticipation. The plane offers American’s new signature business-class experience, and it marks a new era for the airline that hasn’t historically competed as heavily as some of its peers for the premium market. Here’s everything you need to know. American expanding 787-9P network ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY American will start flying the 787-9P to additional destinations in the coming months. Right now, the plane is exclusively flying between Chicago and London, but that will be expanded to include several additional markets, American announced on Wednesday. You’ll find the full deployment schedule for the jet in the table below. Departure Arrival Upcoming service Chicago London All flights starting July 5 Dallas-Fort Worth Auckland, New Zealand Daily service from Jan. 5 to March 28 Dallas-Fort Worth Brisbane, Australia Daily service from Oct. 25 to March 28 Dallas-Fort Worth Buenos Aires, Argentina Daily service from Oct. 26 to Jan. 5 Dallas-Fort Worth London Daily service (AA78 and AA79) from Oct. 26 to Jan. 5, with a

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information. There are many reasons why Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most popular transferable rewards currencies. With travel costs seemingly always increasing, redeeming points, specifically for hotel stays, can save you serious dough. Best-ever offer: Add 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points plus a $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit to your balance with this offer on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see [termsConditions pid=”221211836″ overridetext=”rates and fees”]). TPG values Chase points at 2.05 cents each as of June 2025, and you can often get at least this much — if not more — out of your points by booking hotels through one of the program’s transfer partners or the Chase Travel℠ portal. Here, we’ll cover tips and tricks to help you maximize your Chase points on a hotel stay. Who are Chase’s hotel Transfer partners? HYATT You can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points on a 1:1 basis to Chase’s three hotel partners, allowing you to redeem points for hotel stays through these programs: World of Hyatt Marriott Bonvoy IHG One Rewards To redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points through these partners, all you have to do is enter your loyalty

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