LAS VEGAS — It’s the world’s largest LED screen, offering nearly 580,000 square feet of artistic freedom.

Each of Sphere’s diodes can display 256 million colors, and there are 48 of those diodes in each of the approximately 1.2 million LED pucks that blanket its exterior.

Yet for all of its bells and whistles, every state-of-the-art this and never-been-done-before that, the most popular piece of content to have graced the Exosphere resembles something that could’ve been texted on a BlackBerry.

He/she/it/they or however the smiling, yellow Emoji identifies — Sphere executives aren’t saying — has become the giant public face of the $2.3 billion venue.

When Sphere was named to The New York Times’ 71 Most Stylish “People” of 2023, sandwiched between Utah ski crash trial defendant Gwyneth Paltrow and “The Traitors” host Alan Cumming, it was Emoji in the photo.

Guy Barnett, who oversaw Sphere’s brand strategy and creative development before recently transitioning into a consulting role, declares it one of the venue’s “smash-hit successes.”

And he knows a little something about pop culture icons. During his previous career in advertising, Barnett was the driving force behind a new spokesman who helped NBC promote its acquisition of Premier League soccer. The character’s name? Ted Lasso.

‘This is going to freak people out’

Last Fourth of July, when the Exosphere was illuminated for the first time and the world gazed upon it in slack-jawed wonderment, Barnett noticed something was missing.

“I think what we found, once we were in that landscape and we turned it on, is that there can be a lot more playfulness, a lot more connectivity with an audience that’s on the ground,” Barnett says. “A lot more fun can be had.”

One of Sphere’s early breakout hits was the realistic eyeball that kept watch over the city.

“There was a moment,” Barnett says, “where we thought, ‘This is going to freak people out.’” (Side note: It did.) “But then you also see it as a Salvador Dali homage once it’s in the cityscape. You see these artistic things that you can start to play around with. You can start to imagine different things.”

From those two realizations came Emoji. (There’s an internal name for the character, but Barnett says it can’t be revealed until it’s been fully trademarked.)

In the beginning, Emoji mostly looked around, assessing its surroundings with a childlike curiosity while seemingly interacting with people on the ground, in hotel rooms and in airplanes. Sometimes it slept, with cartoonish “Z’s” floating about. Every so often, through a process Barnett refers to as “planned serendipity,” Emoji would look directly at the monorail traveling beneath it.

Everything changed, though, on Oct. 9, when Canadian golf content creator Joseph Demare, who goes by the nickname Joey Cold Cuts, posted a video from his round at Wynn Golf Club. Lined up in front of Sphere, Demare’s tee shot was perfectly timed so that it appeared Emoji watched it take flight before looking down in disgust. “You know you suck,” Demare wrote in the caption, “when even the @spherevegas is trolling you after your tee shot.” It wasn’t long before the video was everywhere, appearing on social media feeds and local newscasts.

“We started to think, ‘We now have a character that brings emotion and brings playfulness to the Sphere,’ ” Barnett says, “which we just started to enjoy more and more.”

For its first New Year’s Eve, Emoji wore novelty 2024 glasses and unfurled a party horn while confetti rained down on its face.

And forget driver Max Verstappen and his near-constant bashing of the city as though he were an old-school wrestling heel. Emoji, wearing a Formula One helmet, was the real star of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. With the course taking drivers around Sphere during turns five through nine, Barnett and his team timed how fast the cars would be going at those points so they could have Emoji appear to follow them with its eyes.

A collaborative process

The videos that play on the Exosphere are referred to internally as “clips,” Barnett says. “But I think that is underserving them. I think we need a better name for them than that.”

These days, almost all of the clips are made in-house by the 40- to 50-member team — including animators, camera operators, graphic designers and the big brains who figure out how to put the various pixels in the right places — at Sphere Studios in Burbank, California.

It’s a collaborative process that starts with workshopping initial ideas to make them better. For the holidays, for example, someone thought of putting an ugly sweater on the Exosphere. Someone else built on that and suggested putting Emoji in an ugly sweater. The final result had Emoji struggling to get that sweater over its big ol’ noggin, then delighting in catching snowflakes on its tongue.

A clip like that, which already has the base Emoji as a starting point, will involve a team of 15 to 20 people, Barnett says, and “we can be up and running within one to two weeks on stuff like that.”

Clips that must be built from the ground up can take the same-sized team between four and six weeks, regardless of their ambition. Ones that may look simple, like the baseball that celebrated the Oakland A’s (potential) move to Las Vegas or the NBA Summer League-affiliated basketball, are deceptively hard.

“Those things are actually more complicated in a way, because they’re more static,” Barnett says. “You have nowhere to hide (a mistake) when you’re looking at a basketball, so everything has to be absolutely spot on.”

Giving back to the community

With the sheer volume of clips, you could be forgiven for missing or even not giving the proper amount of attention to some of the truly special ones, such as those commissioned as part of Sphere’s XO/Art program.

“This is the world’s biggest canvas, and so not to hand it over to some of the great visual artists of our time, I think, would be remiss of us,” Barnett says. “We make sure that we’re embracing as wide a community as possible with that program.”

Refik Anadol, whose site-specific works utilize machine learning, kicked off the program Sept. 1 with “Machine Hallucination: The Sphere.” The Turkish-born artist and his team created what he calls “AI Data Sculptures” using millions of raw images of space that were captured by the International Space Station and the Hubble Telescope, as well as more than 300 million publicly available photographs of nature. It even incorporated real-time wind and gust speed data.

Sphere rang in 2024 with Andy Gilmore’s kaleidoscopic “Dawn, Noon, Night.” On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, London-based artist David Oku debuted “Vivid Dreams: A Colourful Celebration of MLK’s Legacy.” Shanghai native Shan Jiang contributed “An Inked Flight,” complete with flying dragons and paper lanterns, for Lunar New Year.

Super Bowl week saw a trio of new commissioned works. L.A.-based artist Mister Cartoon’s “For the Love of Money” resembled some of the black-and-gray fine-line tattoos he’s inked on the likes of Eminem and Travis Barker. Eric Haze, the former street artist who designed the logos for Public Enemy and Beastie Boys, tagged Sphere at the end of his piece, “Atmosphere.” And Robert Provenzano, professionally known as CES, brought New York’s “wildstyle” graffiti to the Exosphere with his “Gameplan.”

Since then, Sphere has debuted “Mirror of the Mind,” a meditative, crystal-based installation by Krista Kim, who’s been called one of the most influential people in the Metaverse, as well as “Now Forever,” which resembles a Crayola-infused brain scan, from Italian multidisciplinary artist Michela Picchi.

As part of the Sphere XO Student Design Challenge, Clark County School District and UNLV students can submit artwork with the goal of seeing it on the Exosphere.

The Exosphere’s art is a passion project for James L. Dolan, the New York billionaire who controls the Knicks, Rangers, Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, among other holdings, and oversees Sphere Entertainment Co. as its executive chairman and chief executive officer.

“He has a vision where we are giving back to the community, that we are sharing,” Barnett says. “We’re not just bombarding you with advertisements. We are creating spectacle and wonder and allowing people to enjoy it as opposed to being consistently sold to.”

That vision plays into what Barnett says is Sphere’s overall programming philosophy: “We want to entertain you. We want to make sure that you’re intrigued to keep following, to keep playing along with us.”

So far, those followers amount to 1.7 million fans on Instagram alone.

What’s next?

Moving forward, look for Sphere to continue to show off during big moments.

In addition to the commissioned pieces, Super Bowl week saw all 57 Super Bowl rings get their moment on the Exosphere. And, in a break from the way it’s normally programmed in advance, much like a TV network complete with advertising breaks, the Exosphere was updated live during the game with every score change. It celebrated Patrick Mahomes’ MVP award as soon as it was announced.

The future also will see more of Emoji, just not as often as you might expect.

“We’re being a little more judicious now about how we use our Emoji friend, so that we can really make those moments very special,” Barnett says.

“There are lots of things that we will be doing and we will continue to do with the Emoji. Because when you’ve got a hit, you want to continue working it. But we never want to outstay our welcome, either.”

©2024 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

First it was Ubers. Then it was Wendy’s hamburgers (except the fast food chain clarified it was technically dynamic pricing, not surge pricing). But now, the real deal — surge pricing — is targeting your checked bags.

JetBlue quietly (sneakily?) introduced “peak” and “off-peak” pricing to its checked bag fees on March 22, a fact the world was alerted to because my editor happened to check the JetBlue website. That means you have to pay $5 to $10 more each way for checked bags on JetBlue when flying during busy travel times, such as the summer, much of the winter and some random weeks in the spring.

It’s a classic example of surge pricing — a type of dynamic pricing where companies only increase prices during times of high demand, but don’t lower pricing during times of low demand.

Technically, these new dynamic baggage fees won’t affect all customers like the blanket increases some other airlines, such as Alaska and Delta, recently added. Yet they also mean more complication and confusion for customers who are trying to figure out which airline offers the lowest total price for a given route.

Dynamic prices are nothing new in the travel industry. In fact, prices that rise and fall based on the balance of supply and demand are taken for granted in everything from airfare to hotel rooms and rental cars.

What’s new is how these companies are fluctuating the price of the add-on fees many travelers are growing to deplore.

And airlines are increasingly relying on these add-on fees for revenue. In 2023, airlines made a record $117.9 billion worldwide in ancillary fees, according to airline consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany and car rental technology platform CarTrawler. About $33.3 billion of that was baggage fees.

Some industry experts say the move to more fluid fee prices has been a long time coming.

“Airlines have had capabilities for years to price fares based on demand. Why not other fees as well?” says Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorksCompany.

Sorenson notes that many airlines have been dynamically adjusting the price of seat assignment fees for years. The cost of choosing a window seat near the front of the plane for a particular flight might cost more in December than in February because of increased demand.

Yet, it seems like airlines have been so preoccupied with whether they can make more money from increasingly complex fee structures that they haven’t stopped to think about whether they should.

What makes a fare fair?

It all comes down to how we think travel companies should price their products. Sorenson thinks we are holding airlines to a standard to which we don’t hold other retailers.

“Shopping for an airline seat is like shopping at a grocery store,” he says. “If the grocery store was required to tell you beforehand how much you were going to spend, it would be ludicrous.”

If JetBlue wants to charge more for eggs (baggage) near the holidays, we can decide whether we want to pay the premium or shop with an airline that doesn’t, according to Sorenson.

But I would counter by saying that charging extra for checked baggage on peak dates is more akin to charging extra for the carton that carries your eggs. It feels like a tacked-on “gotcha” fee meant to sneak under most consumers’ radar rather than a meaningful price for a meaningful good.

Whatever you think about dynamic travel fees, it’s clear that they’ll become more common than less in the coming years. What can you do?

Tips for navigating dynamic fees

It’s not reasonable to keep track of which travel providers are charging which fees at which times. I can barely do it, and it’s my entire job.

Instead, it’s worth getting a sense of which airlines tend to charge higher fees overall, and, frankly, avoiding those brands if you want any add-ons at all.

For example, Frontier Airlines charges $157 each way in basic add-on fees while Southwest Airlines charges $0, according to the latest NerdWallet analysis.

So the simplest tip is to fly on Southwest Airlines. It doesn’t have dynamic prices for fees because it has so few fees, period. Two checked bags per person are free.

If that’s not feasible, you might consider getting a co-branded airline credit card, many of which offer free checked bags. Because baggage fees are becoming increasingly complex, this type of credit card lets you avoid the headache of dealing with them altogether, just as paying for Spotify Premium lets you avoid those terrible ads.

Finally, skip seat selection fees if you possibly can. These fees are sneaky and difficult to compare between airlines, but they’re almost always optional. And, as Sorensen points out, they are essentially charging for something that costs the airlines nothing.

“When something is pure margin, my advice to airlines is ‘don’t be so greedy,’” he says.

The article Dynamic Pricing Is Coming for Everything in Travel originally appeared on NerdWallet.

A few of us Minnesota gals were mistakenly pronouncing it “O-jay,” as we planned our January weekend getaway to Ojai, California. But by the time we landed at Los Angeles International Airport, we got it down: “Oh, hi,” the name casually welcoming us to this charming town of 7,500, tucked into the shadow of the Topatopa mountains.

Our first impression of downtown Ojai was that it resembles a mini version of nearby Santa Barbara, with its distinct SoCal architecture of contiguous archways and terracotta tile. By our third night, the place was really speaking our vacation love language, with its blend of outdoorsy activities and creature comforts. We’d gone on a hike, hit the upscale consignment shops, and whiled away several hours on a winery’s sunny patio. Now we were tucking into plates of enchiladas at Agave Maria Restaurant & Cantina, when we spotted Jon Bernthal, a.k.a. Mikey on “The Bear,” dining with friends.

Ojai’s relaxed affluence likely appeals to Hollywood stars being “Just like us!” — there’s a reason Sunset magazine calls it “L.A.’s Favorite Boho Getaway.” The town feels equal parts hippie and high-end. There are fancy spas and fine dining. But also a ban on chain businesses. Ojai is folksy enough that its public transit is a trolley. And its enchanting outdoor bookstore, Bart’s Books, maintains a “throw coins in slot” policy for after-hours purchases.

Ojai has long been known as a spiritual place, but don’t ask me to explain the “electromagnetic vortex” supposedly generated by plate tectonics. We did see plenty of the town’s new-age vibe incarnate. For example, a group drumming and chanting on the grassy main plaza next to a sign that read, “Let’s talk about reincarnation, meditation, yoga, plant-based diet.” And a flyer posted on a sidewalk pole addressed to people seeking group cuddles. And a woman near the co-op in a meditative embrace, literally hugging a tree.

Horses and hiking

Guest accommodations in Ojai range from fancy resort (Ojai Valley Inn) to vintage-glam hotel (Capri), to rustic-chic Wes Anderson habitat (Ojai Rancho Inn), to upscale “trailer park” with Airstreams for rent (Caravan Outpost). Because we had a larger group, we went with an Airbnb on the edge of town, next to a working lumberyard, our first clue that Ojai was more rural than we’d expected.

The place is country enough to have several ranches within a short drive. The next morning, Ojai Valley Trail Riding Co. outfitted us with horses (one had been ridden by singer Joe Jonas, our guide noted) for an hourlong meander through the Ventura River Valley Preserve. The ranch owner is a longtime horsewoman and confidently reassured those of us who hadn’t sat in a saddle since middle school.

The terrain was rocky and verdant, with a river running through it and a mountainous backdrop. One especially striking natural feature was a dry riverbed, lined with white boulders left behind after the water had cut a new path.

Wining and dining

While spending time in nature was the highlight of our trip — the next day, we went for a picturesque hike just outside town — between excursions our focus was on Ojai’s terrific food and wine scene. Our best breakfast (egg sammies, passion fruit pastries) was at the Dutchess, housed in a historic building that was originally a bakery. I’d go back for the restaurant’s Burmese dinner menu and drinks at the handsome wooden bar.

One evening, we ate picnic-style at Ojai Rôtie’s outdoor patio (with heat lamps and throw blankets to take off the post-sundown chill). The restaurant’s famous sourdough boules paired perfectly with a French/Mediterranean spread of roasted chicken, charred eggplant, hummus and salad.

We sampled wine at two spots, which we enjoyed for different reasons. At Ojai Vineyard’s quaint downtown tasting room, we liked the personalized attention and wine geekery. Old Creek Ranch and Winery was pricier (including table reservation fees) and we were largely left to fend for ourselves, but our sunny seats overlooking the vines proved a beautiful, comfortable spot to spend a few hours sipping flights.

I chose a citrusy Pink Moment sorbet, which made me realize we hadn’t managed to catch its namesake: the brief period that precedes an Ojai sunset, when the mountains take on a rosy hue. We also missed the local hot springs, which were closed due to a road washout. And we ran out of time to stop by the nearby olive farm for an oil-tasting tour, or get a spa treatment, or hit the shops, or hike the Los Padres National Forest.

We’ll have to say hello to Ojai again.

Getting there

Ojai, which derives its name from the native Chumash word for moon, sits about 30 miles inland from Santa Barbara. Without traffic, it’s a little under a two-hour drive from LAX via the doublewide freeways. Or a little over two hours if you take scenic Hwy. 1, along the ocean. (With traffic, all bets are off.)

Along the coastal route, Paradise Cove Beach Cafe in Malibu makes a great pit stop with a beachside dining area as large as the portions. The place has a touristy vibe — a group of nuns shared fried calamari served in a ginormous martini glass. Its postcard-perfect, cliff-lined beach has been the setting of many films and photo shoots, including “Beach Blanket Bingo” and the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ Safari” album cover.

©2024 StarTribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

DALLAS — If you need to fly in the afternoon of April 8, you might want to grab a pair of solar eclipse glasses.

Airlines and government officials say it is safe to travel during the April 8 once-in-a-lifetime event. The Federal Aviation Administration is forecasting 47,137 flights to operate on April 8.

Health officials are warning eclipse viewers to wear protective eyewear, and that doesn’t rule out travelers. The sun’s intense brightness can damage eyes in seconds. It’ll be damaged even quicker at more than 30,000 feet in the air, said Eric Christian, a senior research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and an eclipse expert.

“The sun will be a little bit brighter, but you shouldn’t ever look at it except during totality without either approved eclipse glasses or in the correct pinhole camera,” Christian said. “Even the smallest little piece of the sun sticking out can actually damage your retina. Be very careful.”

Experts say travelers flying along the path of totality, from Mexico into the northeastern United States and Canada, may experience a longer eclipse from the clouds based on how much closer they are to the sun. Totality in Dallas will last just under 4 minutes, though the exact duration depends on location. Christian estimates travelers flying along the path of totality to receive roughly 10 minutes of totality, and a longer partial eclipse.

Several airlines have announced and marketed “solar eclipse flights” which are special flights flying along the path of totality and have the highest chances of a great view from the clouds. Among these airlines is Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Dallas’ JSX.

Christian said when it comes to photographing the eclipse, it is recommended that passengers leave that to the professionals.

“The eclipse is a really unique thing and the best thing to do is to watch it during totality, and let your eyes get accustomed to it,” he said.

According to Southwest, its operational teams — anyone from pilots, flight attendants, tech operations, ground operations and network operations control workers — are in full communication regarding the eclipse. Employees are all advised to wear protective eyewear. The FAA has also offered guidance to commercial planes and private aircraft ahead of flights.

“In advance of a solar eclipse, the FAA asks airlines and pilots flying under air traffic control to plan ahead and file a preferred route,” the FAA said in an emailed statement. “Advanced planning will minimize route changes and help the FAA better manage the flow of traffic in busy airspace, resulting in fewer delays.”

The FAA is also advising pilots flying on April 8 that regular activities like practice approaches and pilot training operations at airports in the eclipse path will be limited and possibly prohibited during the event.

All Southwest flights flying through the path of totality will have eclipse viewing glasses. Delta is providing solar eclipse glasses, a partnership with retailer Warby Parker, for its two path of totality flights.

Southwest’s air traffic management team has also been meeting regularly with the Federal Aviation Administration and doesn’t anticipate any widespread effect on operations. However, the forecast isn’t looking very bright for the millions of people looking forward to the event. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth predicted North Texas would be “cloudier than normal.”

Christian said flights along the path of totality “won’t be able to avoid all the serious weather.” He said light fluffy, high-altitude clouds tend not to be very much of a problem, but it’s the low-lying heavy clouds that matter for viewing purposes.

All in all, Christian said it is safe to fly during the eclipse. Pilots, aviation officials and those involved with flights on April 8 won’t compromise safety to get the best views.

“Plane travel is very safe and they’re not going to risk people’s lives to get a little more of the eclipse,” Christian said.

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Leading vacation rental company Airbnb is updating its Extenuating Circumstances Policy, including renaming it the Major Disruptive Events Policy “to better reflect its purpose.” This will provide greater flexibility for travelers who may need to cancel their reservations when unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, extreme weather events and government-imposed travel restrictions, affect their ability to complete their stay.

Under this updated cancellation policy, guests can cancel reservations and receive refunds in cases of “foreseeable weather events,” such as hurricanes, that would result in another covered event occurring, such as large-scale utility outages. According to Travel + Leisure, the policy already applies to other “unexpected major events,” such as declared public health emergencies, including epidemics, but excluding COVID-19. This revised policy, which will go into effect on June 6, overrides individual hosts’ own cancellation policies.

This updated policy also applies to mid-trip cancellations, making it so that travelers can receive refunds for the unused portion of their stays in the event of a covered cancellation.

However, it’s important to note that Airbnb’s policy does not cover all unforeseen incidents, such as injuries, illnesses or government-imposed requirements, like jury duty or court appearances.

“The changes to this policy, including its new name, were made to create clarity for our guests and Hosts, and ensure it’s meeting the diverse needs of our global community,” Juniper Downs, Airbnb’s Head of Community Policy, said in a statement. “Our aim was to clearly explain when the policy applies to a reservation, and to deliver fair and consistent outcomes for our users. These updates also bring the policy in line with industry standards.”

The introduction of this revised policy aligns with Airbnb’s recent efforts to bolster travelers’ confidence in booking home-share stays. For example, earlier this month, it banned indoor security cameras in its rental homes worldwide due to privacy concerns, and, in 2022, instituted a permanent ban on parties, a move which was initially instituted temporarily during the COVID-19 crisis.

Last year, to crack down on fraudulent listings, the company introduced a “verified” status and badge for its rentals in an effort to reassure customers that the specified property does actually exists at the address indicated and that the host is reliable.

In 2022, Airbnb also updated its policies and platform to provide greater pricing transparency, displaying total costs, including fees, in user searches and altering its algorithm to rank listings with the best total prices higher in the results. At the same time, Airbnb provided “guidance” to hosts, encouraging them to set only “reasonable” checkout requests and requiring them to be displayed in the listing.

“Guests should not have to do unreasonable checkout tasks such as stripping the beds, doing the laundry, or vacuuming when leaving their Airbnb,” the company wrote in a statement at the time. “But we think it’s reasonable to ask guests to turn off the lights, throw food in the trash, and lock the doors — just like they would when leaving their own home.”

_______

©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

JetBlue is proving that not even your baggage is safe from dynamic pricing, with the airline rolling out fees that vary depending on the day of departure.

The price of a first checked bag now ranges from $35 to $50 under a recently revealed fee structure that depends on a number of factors, including dates JetBlue determines to be peak or off-peak.

JetBlue is giving flyers a $10 discount if they add a checked bag during booking and at least 24 hours before check-in, with prices ranging from $35 for off-peak dates and $40 for peak dates.

Peak dates encompass about half of the year, including most of the busy summer travel season as well as dates before and after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays in 2024. For next year, the dates range from mid-February (Valentine’s Day and President’s Day) and most of April for spring break and Easter. Full dates are listed on its website.

If a customer checks a bag within 24 hours of departure, the price jumps to $45 for off-peak dates and an industry high of $50 for peak dates.

The first checked bag remains free on its transatlantic flights, except for customers flying on its cheapest fare (Blue Basic), which now costs between $60 to $70.

JetBlue said in a statement that the cost of “transporting bags has gone up significantly due to increased wages and higher fuel costs, and we remain unprofitable since Covid.”

“While we don’t like increasing fees, we are making these adjustments to help get our company back to profitability and cover the increased costs,” the carrier said.

US-based airlines started hiking baggage fees a few months ago, with American Airlines becoming the first carrier, increasing the price from $30 to as much as $40. Soon after, rivals United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue hiked their fees. This will be JetBlue’s second increase since February.

JetBlue has also been mired in losses since the pandemic, reporting an adjusted loss of $151 million in 2023, although that was an improvement from the $260 million it lost in 2022. The airline tried to purchase Spirit Airlines, but a federal court blocked the merger. JetBlue agreed to pay Spirit $69 million as part of its decision to end the deal.

In February, activist investor Carl Icahn bought a 10% stake in the company and announced plans to win two seats on its board of directors for his allies at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting.

A few weeks ago, JetBlue announced a major reduction in flights at Los Angeles International Airport and exits from five cities as it attempts to shift flying to profitable routes.

A captain flying on a commercial airline’s largest aircraft can bring home an average of $348,252 a year, based on recent pilot contracts that passed over the last year.

That’s just the best of the best when it comes to being a commercial airline pilot — a career that comes with years of high-earning salaries and benefits. But to get there, pilots need to invest into training and flying hours, which can often come with mounds of debt. ATP Flight School estimates it costs $108,995 to become a pilot when starting with no previous experience or $86,995 when starting with a private pilot certificate.

So what are the top commercial airlines for pilots to earn the big bucks? Here’s a list of a few.

American Airlines

At American, first-year pilots are at a flat rate, Tajer said. A first-year, first officer at American would be paid $116 an hour in 2024 under the new contract. Depending on how often that new commercial airline pilot would fly, that could mean an average $114,180 annual salary starting out, Darby said.

On average a major airline first officer in their first year flying the smallest aircraft may bring home $98,616, according to Darby.

Pay scales are based on a variety of factors, including each year of service, the type of aircraft the pilot flies and the rank of the pilot.

“It’s a good job,” Tajer said. “Each year you’ll get a pay raise because of the length of service and that goes out to 12 years. If you stay as a first officer, you’ll get an annual increase for your longevity up to 12 years and then you’ll cap out your pay per flight hour.”

Southwest Airlines

At Southwest, it is the only airline that pays per trip and a formula is used to calculate how much the pilot makes.

Southwest also only flies Boeing 737 airplanes — a difference in how other airlines get paid. First officers or captains at other major airlines, like American, can see pay bumps if they upgrade to larger airplanes.

A first-year, first officer would make approximately $133.76 an hour at Southwest, under the union’s calculations. Darby estimates that to be about $11,370 a month on average.

Top-of-scale captains at Southwest make $364.52 an hour, but Southwest believes this to be closer to $368.01. That would mean about $371,808 on average per year, Darby said.

Pilots are not paid during boarding or getting to their flight. Pilots sometimes work 10 to 12 hours a day but are only paid for when they are flying.

“What it boils down to is everybody’s competing for the best pilots, the most experienced pilots and that experience translates to safety,” Southwest Airlines Pilot Association president Casey Murray said. “When customers purchase tickets, that’s what they’re buying.”

Delta Air Lines

At Delta Air Lines, the Atlanta-based airline which nailed down its contract before all other airlines early last year, a first officer flying its smallest aircraft can make an average of $109,212 annually, according to Darby.

Pilots at Delta are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association. The deal raised their pay by more than 30% over four years. The union of about 15,000 pilots voted in the contract in March.

Flying their largest aircraft, a captain can make $420,876 a year on average.

United Airlines

United’s pilots who are first officers in their first year on the smallest aircraft can bring home a similar salary — $114,696, according to Darby’s estimate.

In July, United Airlines pilots reached an agreement for a new four-year contract, providing a cumulative increase in total compensation of as much as 40.2% over the life of the agreement.

On the other side of the scale, senior-most captains flying United’s largest aircraft can make a salary of $424,920.

Other commercial airlines

At JetBlue Airways, a first-year pilot can make $99,000. Top of the line, a captain at JetBlue flying its largest planes will make $303,840 on average.

At Allegiant Air, a first-year pilot might make around $55,356. A senior captain on average makes $222,696 flying its largest airplanes.

Spirit Airlines’ first officers starting out on the smallest aircraft make $92,868 a year. For captains flying the largest aircraft, that’s an average of $297,876 a year on average at Spirit.

Alaska Airlines pilots flying the smallest aircraft in their first year make $107,844 in the first year. As a senior captain, they can bring home $326,640 on average flying the largest airplanes at Alaska.

©2024 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The benefits of taking a vacation can differ depending on the person. Travelers might want to explore a new world, scope the party scene in a different city, use the time to connect with family and friends, or get some much-needed rest and relaxation.

The latest vacation trend is sleep tourism, which replaces packed itineraries with pillow and relaxation menus. According to HTF Market Intelligence, this industry is estimated to increase by $409.8 billion by 2028.

“We’ve said before that sleep has a public relations problem in this country,” ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton told Good Morning America. “We think of it as a luxury but it’s really a medical necessity.”

Although sleep tourism is somewhat new, hotels around the world are taking advantage of the need for a good night’s rest. The Hotel Figueroa in Los Angeles has launched its Rest and Recovery Suite that features light therapy, Molekule air purifiers, customized Pluto Pillows and more.

Popular hotel chain Hilton has introduced more sleep amenities throughout the years. One of its popular vacation spots, the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Italy, offers pillow menus, while the Conrad Bali in Indonesia has an additional paid experience called “Sway,” featuring a 60-minute sleep therapy session while suspended in cocoon hammocks.

“Travelers engaging in sleep tourism are taking that extra step and seeking out unique experiences, amenities and environments that help them achieve their sleep and relaxation goals,” Amanda Al-Masri, the vice president of wellness at Hilton, told Fortune Well.

If you’re looking to get the most out of a sleep vacation, here are the top five retreats in the United States, according to Time Out, that offer relaxing suites perfect for a night or for extended stays:

• Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort in Lanai City, Hawaii
• Mountain Shadows Resorts in Paradise Valley, Arizona
• Castle Hot Springs in Morristown, Arizona
• Smyth Tribeca in New York
• Carillon Miami Wellness Resort in Miami

“Prioritizing sleep can be challenging in the modern world, but doing so can open up a whole world of benefits, including greater productivity and focus as well as slowing down the aging process,” Dr. Marc Milstein, a leading researcher who recently wrote, “The Age-Proof Brain,” told Well Connected.

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Spring break is just around the corner, and many Americans will soon flock to Mexico’s white sand beaches and bustling cities to enjoy their time off. But those opting for a road trip will need to sort out their car insurance coverage first. Mexico legally requires all drivers, including American tourists, to have liability insurance, and failing to purchase enough insurance could land drivers in jail should they cause an accident.

Standard U.S. auto insurance policies won’t cover drivers south of the border, so it’s vital to purchase Mexican car insurance before making the trip.

Liability car insurance is crucial when driving in Mexico

Many large U.S. insurance companies partner with Mexican insurers to offer Mexican car insurance to their customers. Plans are flexible, starting at a single day of coverage and going for as long as a year. Another option is to purchase insurance from a U.S. broker that specializes in Mexican car insurance.

Mexico requires drivers to hold 100,000 Mexican pesos (around $5,800) for bodily injury and death liability coverage and 50,000 Mexican pesos (around $2,900) for property liability damage. If you’re caught driving in Mexico without this minimum coverage, you may face a fine of at least $200. If you cause an accident while driving uninsured in Mexico and cannot pay for the damages you caused, you could face jail time. That’s because in Mexico, all car accidents are considered criminal offenses, not just civil matters.

“If you don’t have insurance and you cause an accident, you can be held by the authorities,” says Geoff Hill, vice president of business development at Baja Bound, a California-based agency that specializes in Mexican auto insurance. “If you’re at fault, they will hold you until you can come up with the money to pay for the damage you [caused]. If you had insurance, you wouldn’t be on the hook for that.”

Oscar Arrieta, an Allstate insurance agent in El Paso, Texas, stresses the importance of having strong liability coverage above all other protection while driving in Mexico. The country’s liability insurance requirements are likely not enough to protect you and your finances if you cause an accident. “To me, protecting your vehicle is secondary,” he says. “It’s [about] the damage you create.”

Arrieta recommends a policy that has at least a $300,000 combined single limit, which is one larger liability limit to cover both bodily injury and property damage. Baja Bound only sells policies that start at that $300,000 limit and go up to $500,000 in liability coverage.

Other types of car insurance coverage worth having in Mexico

Because there’s a possibility that a car accident could land you in jail, many Mexican insurance policies include legal assistance coverage. This benefit can help you find and pay for an attorney and post bail, up to your policy’s limit.

Mexican insurers also typically offer hands-on support at the scene of an accident. If you’re in a car accident, an adjuster from your insurance company will arrive at the accident to examine the scene and determine how to proceed with other drivers’ insurers. That’s a big difference from how things work in the U.S., where adjusters won’t get involved until later.

To drive with peace of mind, it might be wise to consider strengthening your Mexican car insurance policy by purchasing medical payments coverage, which pays for the cost of treating your and your passengers’ injuries after an accident.

Even though it’s legally required, only a small portion of drivers in Mexico have car insurance, according to Mexico’s National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Users of Financial Services. And those who do might only satisfy the $2,900 property damage liability coverage requirement.

That is why you should also consider buying physical damage coverage and theft coverage which, combined, offer similar coverage to collision and comprehensive insurance in Mexico. These cover the cost of repairing or replacing your own car after it’s stolen or damaged in various situations, up to its current market value. Some U.S. insurance companies offer limited insurance coverage in Mexico, as long as you’re within a certain distance of the border, so check with your insurer to see if damage to your vehicle is covered in Mexico.

But no matter what, if you’re driving in Mexico, it is crucial to purchase liability insurance coverage at the very least — even if your insurer will cover damage to your car while driving in Mexico.

Mexican rental car insurance

If you’re planning to rent a vehicle for your trip, the best move will be to do so once you’re in Mexico. Many U.S. rental companies restrict or prohibit their cars from being driven into Mexico. The coverage options available at Mexican rental counters will all comply with the local minimum requirements, so that will be one less thing to worry about when your only concern should be finding the best taquería in town.

The article Driving to Mexico? Make Sure You Have the Right Car Insurance originally appeared on NerdWallet.

If I had a point for every time I got asked about the best way to use points for travel, I’d have enough to fly around the world — twice. After over a decade in which I turned an interest in loyalty programs into a full-time job, I know how to stretch my points as far as possible.

Used correctly, points can be more valuable than cash. You can use them for everything from a staycation at an extended-stay hotel to a first-class trip to the Maldives. You can plan a cross-country road trip with motel pit stops or literally fly around the world. The key is to know what your points are worth and use them wisely. As a general rule, you should aim to get at least 1 cent of value out of each point (though that won’t always be possible).

If you’ve been saving up your points and wondering how best to use them for travel, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about maximizing value from your points and miles:

1. Use points and miles for international business- and first-class tickets

International business- and first-class tickets typically offer the highest-value return for your points and miles. For example:

—A round-trip business-class ticket to Europe typically costs between 80,000 and 140,000 points or miles, while a cash fare for the same route will typically set you back about $5,000.

—An economy-class ticket to Europe typically costs between 30,000 and 60,000 miles round-trip, with cash fares often going as low as $400 during the off-peak season.

As you can see, you’re more likely to get more value for your miles on a premium cabin redemption than on a coach redemption. However, international business- and first-class travel doesn’t just provide the highest redemption value for your rewards — it’s also something most people can’t afford without points and miles. That’s why they’re considered to be the best use of points and miles for travel, as they allow you to keep your expenses low and access travel opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.

Some of my best mileage redemptions have been flying business and first class. It’s a memorable experience that I’ll never take for granted, and the few times I’ve been able to share it with family members have been equally rewarding. Starting your trip off on a comfortable note with a flatbed seat that lets you rest and enjoy a flight is a special experience that’s worth the splurge.

2. Book luxury (or all-inclusive) hotels and resorts

Luxury hotels can also offer a tremendous return on your points. The Maldives, for example, is a popular destination for maximizing hotel points. Hotels in the Maldives can go well over $1,000 per night, making them a great place to use hotel points and free-night awards.

But one aspect that often gets overlooked is that these “free” luxury hotel stays often come with many additional expenses. Even if you don’t pay for your hotel room, food can be expensive in these remote destinations, and boat and seaplane transfers can cost over $500 per person. Unless you were planning to pay out of pocket for the room anyway, you may not save much money on this type of redemption.

A high-value alternative would be to book all-inclusive hotels closer to home (i.e., Mexico and the Caribbean). Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott all have all-inclusive resorts that require a reasonable amount of points. Hyatt’s all-inclusive hotels start at 12,000 points per night (in the off-peak season). You can easily accumulate enough points for five free nights using the welcome bonus from the World of Hyatt Credit Card* or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

To elaborate, the World of Hyatt Credit Card currently offers up to 65,000 bonus points — you can earn 35,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening, plus up to 30,000 more points by earning 2X points on purchases (that normally earn 1X points) during the first six months after opening the card (on up to $15,000). The Chase Sapphire Preferred, on the other hand, currently offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.

It’s worth noting this 12,000-point rate is for two people per room. Hyatt charges an additional 6,500 to 22,000 points per night for each additional person staying in the same room. That said, the great thing about Hyatt’s all-inclusive hotels is that all meals and accommodations are included, making it possible to check out with a $0 bill. That’s not always possible at luxury resorts, where even a trip to the minibar can put a serious dent in your wallet. All-inclusive hotels like these are ideal for budget-conscious travelers who want to enjoy themselves without going overboard.

3. Use hotel points for low-category extended hotel stays for families and large groups

There’s more than one way to get value out of hotel points, and I’m a firm believer that extended-stay hotels can be an excellent use of points.

Extended-stay properties tend to be some of the cheapest hotels, often requiring a fraction of the points required by their luxury counterparts. But lower redemption rates don’t impact value. In fact, these affordable hotels often offer high-value perks that will improve your hotel experience.

For example, complimentary breakfast is typically standard at these types of properties, along with free or cheap parking. Thanks to larger beds and additional sofas, these properties can usually accommodate more than two guests per room. This makes extended-stay properties ideal for families and large groups, allowing them to fit into one room instead of two.

4. Look for great deals on peak travel bookings

During peak travel seasons — including summer, spring break and the holidays — everything from airfare to hotel rates skyrocket. This can be a great time to utilize points and miles to keep your costs down.

It’s worth noting that an increasing number of airline and hotel loyalty programs — many of which are highlighted in Bankrate’s travel toolkit — are moving toward dynamic pricing. That means redemption rates will fluctuate based on the cost of airfare and room rates. However, you can still put your points and miles to good use in spite of dynamic pricing.

Hotel loyalty programs serve as an example of how these redemptions can work out favorably. For example, a stay at the Westin New York Grand Central over Christmas and New Year’s could cost well over $6,000. The same stay could run you roughly 480,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, giving you a value of 1.25 cents per point. That’s a fantastic value for a Marriott redemption, if you’re able to get the points.

Award pricing goes up during peak travel season, but that doesn’t mean the math won’t add up favorably. It’s always a good idea to compare redemption rates against cash prices to determine if that’s the case. Recently, I was able to book a $750 domestic United flight for just 20,000 Aeroplan points, getting me well over 3.75 cents per point on a peak-travel economy-class ticket.

5. Travel during off-peak seasons and be flexible with your travel dates

While expensive peak-season travel bookings can increase the value of your rewards, off-peak award redemptions can save you points and miles.

Case in point: American Airlines is one of the few major airlines that still publishes an award chart, which includes off-peak travel dates for its own awards and partner awards. You may be able to save around 20% on an award ticket by traveling during the off-season. For example, a one-way economy class fare to Europe typically costs 30,000 miles on the airline. The same award costs about 22,500 miles if you’re willing to travel during off-peak dates.

The same goes for fare-based programs like Southwest Rapid Rewards. By searching through the airline’s low-fare calendar, you can score incredible deals on off-peak award tickets. If you can afford to be flexible with your travel dates, you can stretch your points and miles even further by booking off-peak travel.

6. Look for sweet-spot redemptions with different airlines and hotels

Sweet-spot awards are one of the best-kept secrets of airline and hotel loyalty programs. A “sweet spot” refers to an award that’s offered at a significantly lower price compared to most other programs. Familiarizing yourself with sweet-spot redemptions is a great way to get more travel out of a limited points or miles balance.

For example, United MileagePlus often requires over 160,000 miles for a round-trip business-class ticket to Europe. Meanwhile, fellow Star Alliance carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) requires just 88,000 miles for the same flight. ANA typically gives you a free stopover on these awards itineraries too, allowing you to book multiple trips for the cost of one.

Award tickets to Hawaii are always in demand, and even off-peak travel from the West Coast can cost 40,000 AAdvantage miles or more round-trip. However, British Airways Executive Club has a sweet spot for West Coast travelers starting at just 13,000 Avios each way.

Air France and KLM’s joint loyalty program, Flying Blue, doesn’t get much mainstream recognition, but it’s packed with sweet spots that can save you miles and cash. For instance, you can book a ticket between the U.S. and North Africa for just 100,000 miles. Considering most other programs require 160,000 or more miles for the same award, that’s a fantastic deal.

7. Take advantage of consecutive-night discounts

Numerous hotel loyalty programs offer the fourth or fifth night free when you book consecutive nights. By booking longer stays, you can stretch your hotel points much further.

As an example, Marriott Bonvoy offers the fifth night free on award stays for all members, while Hilton Honors limits this benefit to those who hold their co-branded credit cards and those who earn Silver Elite status or higher. Additionally, IHG One Rewards provides the fourth night free on consecutive-night bookings for members with an IHG co-branded credit card like the IHG One Rewards Club Premier credit card.*

8. Redeem rewards for good-enough value when needed

While following the above advice will ensure maximum value for your points and miles, you should use your rewards however you see fit. If redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a New Orleans ghost tour makes you happy, then go for it. If using your American AAdvantage miles for a rental car keeps cash in your pocket, do it.

While the best way to use points and miles usually involves redeeming them for international business- and first-class flights, the best way for you to use your own points and miles may differ. Your rewards are yours to use, so you may want to ignore what the influencers are doing and do whatever works best for you.

However, points and miles devalue over time — they may even expire after an extended period of time — so the absolute best way to redeem them is as quickly as possible, for the best value you can get. Don’t hoard them, and don’t let them accumulate and devalue before you have a chance to use them. Further, consider redeeming them for lower-value awards like gift cards if they’re about to expire and you’re not able to keep them active.

The bottom line

The best way to use points and miles for travel comes down to your personal preferences. However, by redeeming them strategically, you can stretch their value further. Take advantage of sweet spot awards, splurge on luxury travel and redeem your points either during peak or off-peak travel seasons.

By planning ahead and comparing cash rates to award prices, you can save money on travel and make the most of your points and miles.

_____

FAQs

—Credit card points and miles are types of credit card rewards that you can earn for all eligible spending with your card. These types of rewards structures are usually a feature of travel credit cards.

—Whenever you swipe your travel rewards credit card, you’ll earn points or miles for all eligible purchases. For example, you might earn a higher points or miles rate for select types of purchases (such as airfare, rideshares or dining) along with a fixed rate on all other purchases.

—Many points and miles cards allow you to redeem your rewards for different types of travel, cash back, merchandise and gift cards, but redemption options will vary from card to card. Since credit card points and miles are usually a feature of travel credit cards, you’ll typically get the best value for travel-related redemption options.

—The information about the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the IHG One Rewards Club Premier credit card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

_____

©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.