On a recent trip to Madrid, I stayed at the luxurious Circulo Gran Via, where room rates average $350 per night. Thanks to points that I earned through credit cards and paid Marriott stays, I was able to book this stay for free. You can do the same with cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ …
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How the ultra-wealthy attend Burning Man, from $55,000 private jet flights to personal chefs — and why other burners aren’t happy about it
Burning Man, the nine-day art-focused event in the middle of the Nevada desert, is favorite of celebrities and tech CEOs alike. Roundtrip private flights from New York to the temporary airport that services the event ground cost $55,000, private jet booking company Jettly CEO Justin Crabbe told Business Insider. Some ultra-wealthy burners also opt to …
There’s a ‘haunted’ 149-year-old million-dollar castle hidden in San Francisco with underground caves that hosts events like Google dinner parties — here’s what it’s like in Albion Castle
Hidden in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood is a four-story castle with underground caves that was once home to the Albion Ale & Porter Brewery. Albion Castle was built in 1870 as a personal residence and brewery, with a natural underground aquifer producing 10,000 gallons of water daily and providing the water needed for ale production. …
A flight from the UK to Portugal was forced to make an emergency landing after the pilot reportedly fainted
A flight scheduled to fly from Manchester, England, to Madeira, a group of Portuguese islands, on Monday had to make an emergency landing after the pilot fell ill in the cockpit. The First Officer on board Jet2 Flight LS765 successfully diverted the plane to Porto, about 750 miles away from Madeira instead. An off-duty pilot …
The best women’s swimsuits you can buy
Finding the right swimsuit for you may seem impossible, but we’re here to help. We’ve tested swimsuits from leading brands to find the best ones. Helen Jon makes the best swimsuits for most women, but we know there’s no one best choice, so we list several other excellent swimsuit brands. We like the impressive range …
The 7 best credit cards for getting maximum points or cash back on your gas purchases
There are many great rewards credit cards to choose from, but when you’re looking for a credit card that will give you the best benefit on your gas purchases, you have to look a bit further. Here are the best credit cards for gas purchases in 2019: Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card Costco Anywhere …
The luxurious first-class seats on Emirates can cost $15,000 or more — but a new partnership with Chase makes them more attainable than ever
Dubai-based airline Emirates is known for its luxurious first-class cabins. Think a vanity and mini-bar at each seat, a comfortable lie-flat bed, and top-notch food, drink, and Champagne on board. Emirates’ first class is a bucket-list item for many, but your options for booking with points and miles have been limited. And paying cash will …
Forget Champagne and infinity pools: High-end travelers today want to make an impact on the places they visit, according to a luxury safari operator
Luxury travelers in 2019 want more than just Champagne and infinity pools, according to the business director of a luxury safari company. Chris Roche, the business development director at Wilderness Holdings, which owns luxury safari company Wilderness Safaris, told Business Insider that big-ticket travelers in 2019 have high expectations of their travel experiences. They want …
How to make AeroPress coffee in a few simple steps
The AeroPress is an innovative, easy, clean, and delicious way to make coffee on the go. With a few easy techniques and tips, you can make delicious coffee anywhere. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also save the planet, as the AeroPress is a very low-waste solution. I travel a lot, and that …
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Disney Cruises are a bucket-list vacation for many families, but they’re notoriously expensive. Here are 5 ways to make them cheaper
Disney Cruises are well known for their outstanding level of service, but they also come with a higher price tag than many other cruise lines. You may be able to save money on a Disney Cruise by using credit cards like Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve to offset some …
Amex is offering select cardholders $40 back when they spend at least $200 with Delta, but it’s not available for long
Amex Offers are deals for Amex cardholders — they get you cash back or bonus points on purchases with select retailers. Amex cards like the Platinum Card® from American Express and the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express are eligible. One of many currently available Amex Offers is $40 back on a Delta purchase. …
Images from a NASA satellite show the quickly increasing levels of carbon monoxide in atmosphere from the Amazon fires
Technology aboard NASA satellite Aqua captured images of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere associated with wildfires burning through the Amazon rainforest for the past few weeks. NASA collected new data from their Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument, measuring levels of carbon monoxide at an altitude of 18,000 feet (5,500 meters) from August 8 to 22. …
British Airways pilots plan to strike over 3 days in September, throwing air travel into chaos (BA)
The British Airways pilots union announced that it would go on strike September 9, 10, and 27. Pilots initially voted in July to authorize the strike, but continued negotiating with the airline. The strike is unrelated to a similar strike vote by Ryanair pilots. Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories. British Airways’ pilots’ union …
50 mouthwatering photos of street food in Singapore
Singapore reigns as the world’s most expensive city for the fifth year in a row. Despite its status, the country is also known for its inexpensive street food. From delectable chili crab to rice cake topped with savory vegetables, Singapore boasts a variety of street foods to get your hands on. Visit Business Insider’s home …
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The best active swimsuits for women
If you like to stay active at the pool or beach, a functional swimsuit is a necessity. Our top pick is Athleta’s swimwear, but we also love swimsuits from Patagonia, Sweaty Betty, Land’s End, and Speedo. While itty-bitty bikinis and strapless one-pieces look great, they aren’t exactly the most practical swimsuits, especially when you like …
How to create a travel budget and stick to it, according to someone who’s been traveling abroad for over 2 years
When traveling, creating and maintaining a budget is essential. From researching your destinations in advance to using money-tracking apps, there are many tactics that can help you do so. Here are seven ways to create and manage your travel budget. Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories. For more than two years, I’ve been living …
Amex Business Gold review: Are the rewards and benefits worth the $295 annual fee?
The American Express® Business Gold Card offers a combination of compelling rewards and valuable benefits that can easily cover the $295 annual fee. Fresh features include up to 4 Membership Rewards per dollar and 25% of your points back when redeeming for flights. New cardholders can get up to $500 back in statement credits at …
Extreme glamping: Luxury yurts, covered wagons with air conditioning, and $3 million RVs prove there’s still a market for high-end outdoorsy adventures
Glamping, or “glamorous camping,” is a luxurious alternative to regular camping that’s become increasingly popular in the last decade. There are many ways to glamp, from sleeping in a heated domed pod on the salt flats of Bolivia to renting out a luxurious tent with electricity and 1,500 thread-count linens on an island in New …
The Amazon is losing about 3 football fields’ worth of rainforest per minute
Wildfires have been blazing through the Amazon over the last few weeks, causing a loss equivalent to three football fields per minute, according to data from Brazilian satellites. Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) reported an 80% increase in wildfires, with a total of 72,843 incidents this year. Losing this much surface area from …
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The world’s longest flight is moving one step closer to reality as Qantas plans to test 19-hour routes
Qantas Airlines is planning three nonstop test flights from London and New York City to Sydney, Australia. The airline said it will test the routes with three Boeing 787-9 aircraft when it takes delivery of them this fall from Boeing’s Seattle plant. The flights will be about 19 hours, the world’s longest, and the roughly …
2 men saved a Carnival Cruise Line passenger from drowning after her wheelchair rolled into the water (CCL)
Two men rescued a Carnival Cruise Line passenger from drowning in St. Thomas last week, a Carnival representative confirmed to Business Insider. A video of the rescue posted to Facebook on August 12 shows the men, Kashief Hamilton and Randolph Donovan, helping the woman stay in a life preserver while she is pulled out of …
The Kremlin is the official residence of President Vladimir Putin. It’s protected by an elite military regiment and has walls up to 21 feet thick — here’s a look inside.
The Kremlin is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow, Russia, made up of more than 15 buildings, 20 towers, and more than 1.5 miles of walls that are up to 21 feet thick. Since 1991, it’s been the official residence of Russia’s president, currently President Vladimir Putin. The complex is protected by an …
I earn more than 1 million points and miles a year — here are the credit cards I use to rack up rewards
I earn more than 1 million points and miles each year, which enables me to book travel and save on expenses. I’m able to earn so many points and miles by maximizing all my spending with the right credit cards. For eating out, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great pick thanks to 2x …
Amex is offering $300 back or 30,000 Amex points at popular mattress startup Casper right now — but it’s not for just anyone
Amex Offers are deals for Amex cardholders — they get you cash back or bonus points on purchases with select retailers. Amex cards from the Platinum Card® from American Express to the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are eligible. One of the many currently available offers is $300 back or 30,000 Amex Membership …
3 Hilton credit cards are offering huge welcome bonuses, but you only have a week left to apply and earn up to 130,000 points
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, and the Hilton Honors American Express Card are currently offering new cardholders more points than usual through elevated welcome bonuses. You can use the points from these offers to book stays at a wide range of Hilton properties, from luxury resorts …
There’s a new type of traveler dishing out thousands of dollars for high-end safaris. The business director of a Botswana-based company says it’s all because of the millennial tech boom.
A managing director of a luxury safari company says he’s seen their clientele become younger and more diverse in the past 14 years thanks to the “millennial tech boom.” It’s no longer only 60-year-old CEOs who can afford to go on a luxury safari, says Chris Roche, the managing director for business development at Wilderness …
See all our credit card reviews — from cash-back to travel rewards to business cards — in one place
Table of Contents Travel rewards credit cards Cash-back credit cards Airline credit cards Hotel credit cards Business credit cards Travel rewards credit cards First up are the cards that can get you the most value if you’re willing to put in the work: travel rewards credit cards that earn Amex, Chase, and other bank points. …