Greetings!

I had an eventful night. First, I went to LAX and was just about to board a red-eye flight to NYC but ended up going home. It's a long story that I hope to share soon. A few hours later, I was jolted out of bed by a 4.2 magnitude earthquake in Malibu. It was scary and I was relieved to be home with my family instead of in the air, otherwise it would have been much scarier.
On Monday, I was up early, talking travel on Bob Sirott's WGN Morning Drive. You can listen to my travel segment here and below is a deeper dive into the topics we covered:
-7 Hacks For Getting the Best Coach Seat on a Plane
-Stuck In a Middle Seat on a Plane? Here’s How to Get Out of It
Last week, my family and I returned from 12 days in Hawaii and below are my reports to date. I've just published my inter-island trip report, which is today's travel tip (scroll down):
-Trip Report: Los Angeles to Maui on American Airlines
-Car Rental Tips I Learned from Renting a Car in Maui
-Hotel Review: Ka'anapali Beach Hotel in Maui
TSA Checkpoint Numbers
Americans continue to travel like it's pre-pandemic. TSA officers screened 1,559,251 people at airport checkpoints nationwide yesterday, January 24. Four years ago on the same day (pre-pandemic): 1,571,077.

In this issue:

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook

As of 12:20pm PT, there have been 589 canceled flights to/from or within the United States and 3,001 delayed. You can see the FAA's National Airspace System map above. Here's a link to the up-to-date stats and here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancellations.

✅ Today's Travel Tip

Trip Report: Maui to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines
Today, I'm continuing with my Hawaii trip reports and next up: Maui to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines. Here's how that trip went, along with some good tips and fun trivia. Read the story.

✅ You Can Buy Your Own Seatbelt Extender For Air Travel on Amazon – But Should You?

Flying, especially in coach, is uncomfortable for pretty much everyone, and perhaps more so for passengers of size. I mean, seats on airplanes continue to get smaller and smaller, don’t they, as airlines try to squeeze in more and more seats. I just learned this week that some plus-size passengers have been buying their own seatbelt extender so they don't have to ask for one. Seems like a great idea but .... Here's what you need to know.

✅ Currency Exchange ✅ Calendar Countdown

🇪🇺 €1 Euro = $1.08 USD 💘 20 Days to Valentine's Day
🇲🇽 $1 MXP = $.053 USD 👨‍💼 26 Days to President's Day
🇬🇧 £1 GBP = $1.23 USD 🐇 74 Days to Easter
🇨🇦 $1 CAD = $0.74 USD 🇺🇸 124 Days to Memorial Day
🇦🇺 $1 AUD = $0.70 USD ✨ 160 Days to Fourth of July

✅ Yesterday's Travel Tip

Planning to Travel Internationally This Summer? You Better Do This Now
Are you planning to travel internationally this summer? Then do yourself a favor and do this ASAP, to save yourself time, money and headaches. Read the story here.

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📺 Travel Video of the Week

TRAVEL TWEET OF THE DAY

🌎 12 Things to Know in Travel Today

1 Airlines issue travel waivers as winter storm pushes northeast. Which cities are covered?
2 Alaska Airlines will serve your chardonnay in a paper cup, as the first carrier to cut in-flight plastic
3 Boeing disappoints with sixth loss in row as costs slow recovery
4 Man stabs passengers on German train; 2 dead, 7 injured
5 Asia travel hotspots quiet as Chinese tourists stay away
6 Native Hawaiians flock to Las Vegas for affordable living
7 NTSB says bird strike likely caused deadly Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash
8 Missing Ohio architect killed in Mexico with fiancee
9 Airport worker killed by being sucked into a jet engine was warned repeatedly not to go near it, investigation says
10 U.S. airlines should have a fully profitable 2023
11 U.S. visa wait exceeds one year for top sources of inbound visitors
12 Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers

✅ In Case You Missed It

How to Save 40% on Hawaiian Airlines Baggage Fees (And It Doesn’t Require Getting a Credit Card)
We’re back in Hawaii and I learned another tip, which saved me over 40% on baggage fees. In the process, I also realized I’d made a stupid mistake. Read the tip here.

✈️ Miles & Points

✅ Last Week's Travel Tips