NowBoarding! Your daily travel news in 7 minutes or less:

Don’t forget to check out the Miles To Go Podcast where we bring you the latest travel news, tips and tricks each week to help you save money and travel better.

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NowBoarding, your daily travel news in 7 minutes or less. This is your host, Ed Pizza, bringing you the latest travel deals and travel news you need to know Monday through Friday.  No more worrying about missing out on the best deals.  Give us a couple of minutes every day and we’ll give you what’s going on in the world of travel.

Look for links to all of today’s stories in the show notes on whatever podcast platform you’re listening.  And, please share the show with a friend!

First up this morning is a savings program that I’ve never heard of, and it likely means I’ve been leaving money on the table. Visa Savings Edge is a program for small businessesthat helps them automatically save money when spending on a linked Visa business credit cards.  For folks who carry the popular Ink cards from Chase, or if you’ve taken advantage of the awesome bonus offer for the Capital One Spark Miles card, you’re eligible for extra savings.

Some of the examples include 2% off at Chevron, 3% at Stamps.com, 5% at Mailchimp.  If any of you are using the 2% rebate at Papa Johns, we need to have a serious conversation about your taste in pizza.  There are also a handful of travel brands participating as well.

Once you’re signed up, the rebates should automatically post to your account.  Make sure you grab your free money for expenses you already have with merchants you already do business with.

It looks like Hong Kong Airlines got the cash injection they neededto be able to keep flying. Last week we covered the news that the airline had been given only days to raise money before government authorities would revoke their authorization to operate the airline.  For the time being, it still makes sense to proceed with caution if you’re considering Hong Kong Airlines for future travel.

Members of World of Hyatt can now earn and redeem points at the new hotel within a hotel, NoMad in Las Vegas.  This boutique hotel is inside the Park MGM, which is newly renovated.  You might know it as the Monte Carlo if you haven’t been to Vegas in a bit.  I’ve stayed at NoMad.  It’s an interesting property.  The rooms are lovely, some of the most comfortable I’ve seen in Vegas.  The bar has a great vibe.  We had an off experience in the restaurant right after it opened.  I do have it on my list to go back and try again.  At any rate, you can now earn and burn Hyatt points at NoMad, which means you have 13 non-Hyatt hotels to choose from if you’re looking to take advantage of your Hyatt status.

United Airlines has announced an order for the Airbus A321XLR to replace the aging 757s in their fleet.  The XLR stands for extra long range, with the single-aisle aircraft having a range of 4,700 nautical miles. That’s a bit longer than your average 757.

The announcement of this aircraft order does two things for consumers.  With the first planes being delivered in 2024, it’s an indication that those 757s will likely continue flying until the XLRs start to arrive.  It’s also a good indication that United intends to continue serving some transatlantic routes effectively from the East Coast on a narrow body plane.  That’s generally a good sign for consumers when it comes to finding flight availability, even if most of the seats are of the upright variety.

Are you one of the lucky Hyatt Globalists that is receiving American Airlines Executive Platinum status as a gift this year?  Color me impressed by this really great offering we’re hearing about from frequent travelers.  Executive Platinum is the highest status you can earn without an invitation.  It’s an excellent top-tier status.  No concrete word on whether this status match includes systemwide upgrades, which would be truly great.

That’s a full wrap on today’s travel news. If you’ve got a piece of travel news that you think I should feature on NowBoarding, you can e-mail me at ed@pizzainmotion.com, or find me on social media, Twitter, Facebookand Instagram. And, you can find me blogging daily at pizzainmotion.com.

And, since we’re still getting started on this new format, you can do me a big favor and leave me a review on whatever podcast platform you’re listening to. Reviews and ratings are a huge part of what helps us reach a larger audience. And, if you’re enjoying the show, please tell a friend. That’s your travel news in 7 minutes or less. I hope you’ll join us again on a future flight!