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The Dragon Bravo wildfire on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park forced the evacuation and closure of a portion of the park this past weekend. Only the North Rim — not to be confused with the more frequented South Rim of the park — will remain closed for the remainder of the 2025 season. There are also hiking trail closures in effect for the North Kaibab Trail, the South Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch due to a release of chlorine gas related to the fire that destroyed the North Rim Water Treatment Facility. Thankfully, there have been no reported injuries or fatalities due to the fire, but many structures at the North Rim — including the visitor center, the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and cabins — were lost to the fire. This closure will also affect hikers who may have a permit for the popular rim-to-rim hike while the North Rim closure is in effect. Here’s a guide on what to do if you have a trip planned to the Grand Canyon in the near future. The North Rim vs. the South Rim BECKY BLAINE/THE POINTS GUY Grand Canyon National Park is in the northwest corner of Arizona

Southwest Airlines is expanding in the Caribbean, with plans to serve its first new destination in nearly half a decade. The Dallas-based carrier on Monday announced it will launch nonstop service to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The new flights will begin in early 2026. When to go: These are the best times to buy an international flight For Southwest, gaining access to the U.S. Virgin Islands is an especially noteworthy destination. Beyond a new island and territory, it’s the airline’s first new destination in several years. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI with Bluebeard’s Castle The last new pin on the carrier’s proverbial map came in late 2021, when it added Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) in upstate New York during the COVID-19 pandemic, when domestic travel led the way. Recent years have seen Southwest make cutbacks to its route map, including exiting Syracuse itself. That’s set to change. 3 new Southwest cities coming soon Southwest said Monday that it plans to announce a total of three all-new cities — St. Thomas, plus two more that the carrier has not yet revealed. While the remaining two will no doubt be the source of much speculation, Southwest also did

Through its partnership with American Express, Delta Air Lines offers one of the most comprehensive airline credit card portfolios on the market, which includes entry-level, mid-tier and premium cards (as well as business card versions of most). If you decide that now is the time to apply, your next question will likely be: How do you choose which Delta credit card is right for you? The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is a great choice for anyone seeking a card with solid benefits for a reasonable annual fee. However, more frequent Delta flyers should do some math to determine whether the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card could offer better travel benefits for its price. Let’s do a deep dive and compare these two Delta cards so you can decide based on our analysis and your needs. Delta Gold Amex vs. Delta Platinum Amex comparison Benefit Delta Gold Delta Platinum Welcome offer Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 16. Earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends July 16. Annual fee $0

Eco-chic 1 Hotels is expanding quickly, with new or upcoming locations in international destinations like Melbourne, Australia, and Copenhagen. But you don’t have to venture so far afield to find some of the chain’s most intriguing outposts. The 1 Hotel Nashville opened in 2022 and provides an upscale but unfussy counterpoint to some of the city’s party-heartier options. Here’s why you should consider it for your next jaunt to Music City, especially if you carry select premium credit cards. ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY 1 Hotel Nashville location Once a warren of skeletal buildings, Nashville’s SoBro neighborhood is now one of the city’s hottest districts thanks to the spate of hotels that have popped up in recent years, including the 1 Hotel. The hotel is about a 30-minute drive from Nashville International Airport (BNA), which costs around $30 each way via a ride-hailing service. Once here, you might not need a car since the honkey-tonks of Broadway, the bars of Printers Alley and various museums — including the National Museum of African American Music, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Frist Art Museum — are all short walks away. ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY The Music City Center