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Sunday set a travel record for U.S. airports, according to TSA screenings

3 million people were screened by the tsa.

Julie Moreno , Executive Producer/Digital Content

Sunday set a travel record for U.S. airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

More than 3 million passengers went through TSA screenings on Sunday.

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“Yesterday, for the first time since its founding in November 2001, Transportation Security Administration officers screened more than three million travelers on a single day at airports across the country. It was an extraordinary achievement: TSA fully, unerringly, and efficiently checked 35 passengers every second, along with all their luggage and carry-on baggage, while demonstrating unwavering professionalism and respect for travelers during the intensely busy holiday weekend,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.

Mayorkas used the statistic to push Congress to permanently ensure pay fairness.

“It is the smart thing to do for everyone who depends on TSA to keep our skies and our country safe, and it is the right thing to do for these great public servants,” Mayorkas said.

Last month, officials said the San Antonio International Airport was experiencing a “record-breaking summer” due to added nonstop flights.

They expected to see more than 300,000 passengers flying in and out of San Antonio last week.

Because of the increased number of travelers all summer, they urged people to arrive at the airport at least two hours before the plane ticket’s listed boarding time.

Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Julie moreno.

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

How to Travel Like a Pro With Points and Miles in July 2024

Travel is predicted to reach record highs this summer, with plenty of events worth traveling for like the Olympics in Paris and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour storming Europe . This month, savvy travelers among us can be expected to avoid the crowds while maximizing comfort during their airport experiences at the newest lounges while using the best loyalty program and credit card perks. You can become one such savvy traveler too: Along the way, you can pad your account balances with bonus miles and points promotions to help with planning that next trip for this summer and beyond.

Here are some of the latest happenings and offers available in time for the season’s rush.

Bonus points and miles offers

Hilton Honors is taking things to the next level with its Delta partnership by offering 1,000 bonus Hilton Honors points for each premium cabin flight you book. It’s not just Delta One and first class flights that qualify, but also Premium Select and Comfort+ flights, too. You can earn as many as 6,000 Hilton points with this promo. Register between now and July 19 for this promotion that works for flights booked through September 19.

Also, you can earn bonus Hilton Honors points by booking AutoCamp properties, a new connection between the hotelier and the glamping company. The brand has eight venues around the world including places like the Russian River in California and Cape Cod in Massachusetts . The perks start flowing if you have Hilton Honors status: You get extras like bottled water, bundles of firewater, s’mores kits, and even tent upgrades depending upon the status tier. Between now and August 12, Hilton Honors members will earn an extra 1,000 points for each completed stay. You can book directly on Hilton’s dedicated site page .

Between now and September 13, new IHG One Rewards members can earn 5,000 points when they book their first stay. Among IHG’s network of hotels are big names like Regent Hong Kong and InterContinental Paris Le Grand .

Between now and the end of the year, members of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) Discovery program can earn 15 “dollars,” which can be redeemed as cash, when booking a hotel stay using the GHA app. There is no limit to the amount you can earn when staying at the group’s famous hotels like The Royal Livingstone on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls and Amsterdam’s oldest hotel, Tivoli Doelen .

There’s no deadline to this, but it’s worth noting: Marriott Bonvoy and Starbucks have tied the knot to caffeinate travelers with extra points when they order Starbucks drinks while staying with any Marriott hotel. After linking your accounts, you can earn double Starbucks stars each time you make a purchase during any Marriott stay. You can also link your Delta SkyMiles and Starbucks accounts so that you can earn miles and points with each order, and now travelers can earn bonus SkyMiles when reloading cash to their Starbucks wallet.

Regent Hong Kong is just one hotel within IHG's network—between now and September 13, new IHG One Rewards members can earn 5,000 points when booking their first stay.

Secret passwords and status matches

A fun way that the IHG brand uses to keep travelers engaged is a regular “secret password” that gets you bonuses. When staying at any Kimpton hotel property this summer, be sure to use the secret password “good for the sol” ( sun in Spanish, naturally). What will you get in exchange? It depends on the hotel, but could be anything from free parking to special food and beverage perks for those in the know.

Air France and KLM have a special deal this summer for Flying Blue members based in the United States and Mexico looking to spice up their travel plans. If you have elite status with a non-SkyTeam airline, Flying Blue will match your elite status tier to take advantage of benefits like bonus miles and lounge access on your next trip.

Marriott Bonvoy Moments is at it again with its one-point awards . For just one measly Marriott Bonvoy point, members can redeem for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team experiences. This includes packages where racing fans can have a meet-and-greet with British racing driver Lewis Hamilton as well as grandstand tickets to watch Formula 1 events.

New lounges worth visiting and hotel partnerships not to miss

Just in time for summer, Delta has unveiled the first of its Delta One lounges with the grand opening of its premium lounge at New York JFK. This space is reserved for those traveling in Delta’s top cabin and features a spa, massage chairs, a clothes-pressing service, and more food and drinks than you can possibly enjoy in one afternoon.

Hilton Honors members can now make a reservation with Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties via the program while earning or redeeming points. The new partnership brings hundreds of luxury boutique hotels for fans of Hilton including notable properties like the new Nobu Hotel Marrakech and Hotel Excelsior in Dubrovnik .

World of Hyatt has inked a deal with travel platform Mr & Mrs Smith, which adds nearly 1,000 hotels to the program where members can earn and redeem points. With an average room count of 40, these small properties are carefully chosen by a team of secret inspectors that have meticulous criteria. Among the additions to Hyatt’s portfolio are hotels like Thyme in the English Cotswolds and Long Bay Beach Resort in the British Virgin Islands.

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3 big mistakes people traveling to Japan make, according to someone who's visited 11 times

• Grace Cheng, a 22-year-old travel blogger based in NYC, has visited Japan 11 times.
• She said travelers going to Japan for the first time consistently make a few mistakes.
• Travelers focus on Tokyo, Cheng added, but don't leave enough time for other cities.  

Out of the 34 countries travel blogger Grace Cheng has visited, none has left such a lasting impression than Japan . From visiting historical temples during cherry blossom season to the diverse and delicious food scene , Japan stole her heart.

"It's so different than what you see here in the States, and it's so different from any other country," she said.

Cheng, who is 22 and based in NYC, has noticed the country becoming a "hot spot" for tourists.

The International Trade Administration shows that the number of US travelers flying to Japan was already over 900,000 from January to May, a 17.4% increase from the same time period in 2023. One factor driving the surge in tourists from the US is the strongest dollar-to-yen exchange rate in recent history. As of July 8, $1 buys 160.74 yen.

Cheng first visited Japan in 2017, and she's gone 11 times since then. Here, she shares three of the biggest mistakes to avoid when planning a trip to Japan to better your chances of immersing yourself in the culture and exploring off the beaten path.

Mistake 1: They overfill their itineraries

There is so much to explore in Japan, from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo's famous Shibuya crossing (one of the busiest in the world) to the serene tranquility of the gardens and shrines in Kyoto.

But as excited as tourists can be to get a taste of everything, Cheng advises them to make sure their itineraries aren't jam-packed every day.

"The ideal time I would give Japan is probably seven to 10 days," Cheng says, adding that it is a sufficient time to explore a few regions without feeling rushed.

A shorter trip, especially for first-time visitors, could mean that "every day is just back-to-back attractions or moving," which ultimately results in high stress.

"You don't really get to experience Japan for what it's worth because you're just always on the go," she added.

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If you are truly pressed for time and only have a few days to spare in Japan, Cheng recommends prioritizing Tokyo, given it is a "major destination everyone has to go to" at least once in their life if they can.

Mistake 2: They don't set foot outside Tokyo

The issue with just visiting Tokyo, according to Cheng, is it doesn't fully represent how broad and versatile Japan or Japanese culture is.

If visitors want to get a real feel for the country's history, cuisine, and local charms, they should venture south and north of Tokyo.

"Tokyo is not Japan," Cheng said. "And you need to explore the other cities to actually have a sense of what Japan is like."

Outside Tokyo, one of her favorite cities is Sapporo, in the Hokkaido prefecture in the north of Japan. Cheng said she found cheaper prices and more friendly locals there.

"They just go out of their way, and you can definitely tell if someone is from Tokyo or the north," she said.

The food scene is also completely different depending on where you visit — Sapporo, for example, is renowned for soup curry, she said.

Osaka is a city near Kyoto so well-known for food that it's sometimes referred to as "Japan's kitchen." There, Cheng said she ate amazing tonkatsu, or fried pork cutlet, made to "perfection" with a side of all-you-can-eat shredded cabbage.

Mistake 3: They never turn off Google Maps

Being told to knowingly lose your way in a foreign country might sound scary, but Cheng insists it's one of the best strategies for discovering a new place.

"The best way to experience the streets and just get to know the country itself is just to get lost," Cheng said. "Don't use your phone. Don't use Google Maps."

She said some of her best interactions with locals and restaurants have come from walks around Japanese cities when she's avoided using her phone.

"If you go to Google and you search 'best restaurants in Tokyo,' for example, you're going to come up with all these restaurants that cater toward tourists," she said. "You're not going to actually experience the local dishes or a local atmosphere," and leave with a false "impression" of Japan.

"The best restaurants that I've found have come from stumbling upon them just walking the streets," she said.

Watch: How the Tokyo Metro is deep cleaned

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Suspected people smugglers to be hit with travel bans in King’s Speech

Exclusive: Government wants to afford the police, Border Force and intelligence officers a harsher range of sanctions for offenders

Suspected people smugglers will face travel bans under new counter terrorism-style laws to be set out in Sir Keir Starmer’s first King’s Speech next week.

The new legislation will give the police, Border Force and intelligence officers working under the new Border Security Command powers to treat people smugglers like terrorists.

The Border Security Bill, to be set out in the King’s Speech, will allow officers and investigators to use serious crime prevention orders against suspected people smugglers. They enable law enforcement to place tough conditions on travel in the UK or abroad as well as on their access to the internet and banking.

Any breach of the order carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in jail. They can be applied both before a suspected people smuggler is convicted or if they are found guilty.

They have previously been restricted to terrorists but will be extended to immigration crime in the legislation. Border Force officials will also get expanded powers under the 2000 Terrorism Act for enhanced stop and search powers for anyone suspected of being a people smuggler.

Police are required in traditional stop and searches to have “genuine and objectively reasonable suspicion” that they will find a banned weapon or item like drugs for use in a crime. The new powers will enable officers to carry out personal searches, examine and seize mobile phones and copy any data on the devices of any suspects at ports and border control.

Like terrorism police, officers could get warrants to search suspected people smugglers’ premises and seize items before an offence was committed and apply to courts for early access to financial information on suspects.

“By replicating this power for organised immigration crime, we can ensure that investigators can raid and seize relevant information and property from addresses linked to people smuggling before an offence has taken place,” said a policy document.

Hundreds of police officers will be deployed across Europe to stop people smugglers as part of the new UK Border Security Command.

On Sunday, Yvette Cooper , the Home Secretary, announced the first steps in setting up the command by kickstarting the search from Monday for a former police, military or intelligence chief to head it.

Neil Basu, a former head of UK counter-terrorism policing, is expected to apply for the job and is likely to be a frontrunner. Mr Basu was overlooked by the previous Government to head the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Metropolitan Police. Another contender could be former soldier David Neal, ex-chief inspector of borders and immigration.

It will also see up to 1,000 extra officers recruited by the NCA, Border Force and MI5 specifically to target smuggling gangs. A “significant number” will be based across Europe working with Europol and European police forces.

The command is modelled on the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) set up by the last Labour Government to overhaul and coordinate the approach to national security.

It will be funded by the money saved by scrapping Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda scheme , which is expected to generate some £75 million in the first year. Ms Cooper also announced on Monday that she had ordered an audit of the Rwanda scheme to establish how much it cost and the Government’s liabilities.

Britain can end the Rwanda scheme by terminating the agreement through a break clause that allowed both governments to leave it. Under the clause, the UK will not have to make any further payments from the date the break clause is activated.

The UK has already paid £270m, with the latest £50m instalment handed over in April this year. By ending the scheme, Britain will save two further £50m payments in 2025 and 2026.

The agreement stipulated that Britain would still be expected to pay for any migrants who had already been relocated. None have been deported so far although two failed asylum seekers have voluntarily gone to Rwanda under a separate agreement where they were offered a £3,000 incentive to go.

The agreement specifically rules out any refunds to Britain of any of the £270m paid or any additional money already advanced to Rwanda.

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• Labour Party,
• Yvette Cooper
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Brazilian industry reps to travel with Lula to Bolivia in bid to obtain cheaper gas

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Reporting by Fabio Teixeira in Rio de Janeiro, additional reporting by Lucinda Elliott in La Paz; Editing by David Gregorio

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US regional banks to face increased scrutiny as CRE exposure stifles buybacks

U.S. regional banks will probably stockpile more rainy-day funds and stay conservative on stock buybacks as losses from commercial real estate (CRE) loans are expected to pressure their earnings, analysts said.

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