THE BIG TRAVEL DEAL

Norse: Premium Class to Europe for $250 One-Way, But Understand the Rules
Norse Atlantic Airways, the emotional successor to Norwegian Air across the pond, takes some explaining, but hold on for some very interesting premium class fares. The carrier is not Norwegian Air, which still exists as an intra-Europe airline. But Norse does fly Norwegian's former Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are configured 2x3x2 in premium class. With 43 inches of pitch at each seat, the cabin is far better than the premium economy offerings of the major transatlantic players, but not really a business class. Norse's premium class fares are bundled with meals and beverages and you can purchase cheap one-way fares rather than having to search for an inexpensive roundtrip. That offers terrific flexibility. But Norse charges (a lot) for checked bags and seat assignments even in premium and there are no airport lounges. Now that you understand the product, consider the carrier's eye-popping fall and winter fares up front: Miami or New York/JFK to London/Gatwick for just $251 one way. Los Angeles to Gatwick for $319 one way. JFK to Paris/CDG for $352 one-way. From Miami, Norse is also flying nonstop to Paris ($287) and Berlin ($442) in October and from January to March. These prices are promotional fares that must be purchased by September 13, but there is plenty of availability through next March although there is a blackout for the holidays (December 14-January 8). Even better if you can fly before the end of October, you'll find similarly priced premium deals on Norse's seasonal flights to Rome, Berlin and Oslo from several of its U.S. gateways. Information: the September Sale page.

THE DISCOUNTS UP THERE

La Compagnie: $2,400 Roundtrip to Milan in Business Class
Paris-based La Compagnie is justifiably best-known for its Newark-Paris/Orly flights on all-business-class narrowbody aircraft. But it also flies Newark-Milan/Malpensa nonstop in the same configuration. The lesser-known route is always on promotion. La Compagnie's current offer: $2,400 roundtrip on a few days in November and December and on most days in the low season of January, February and March. Information: the La Compagnie 100% SMART page.

GROUND DEALS

Burj Al Arab: Would You Pay for a Tour of a Glitzy Fantasy?
Burj Al Arab in Dubai was designed to be a glitzy, over-the-top fantasy as well as an outrageously expensive lodging and dining venue. It's built on its own island, is designed to look like the sail of an Arabic dhow and makes the ludicrous claim that it is a 7-star hotel. (They never quite say who awarded the seven stars, of course.) But the place is something to behold. And now they'll sell you a 90-minute tour--ahem, "exclusive" tour--that covers some regional history, the design and creation of the gigantic property, a visit to the wacky atrium and a peek into the hotel's huge Royal Suite. Whether you think such a thing is worth AED299--that's about US$82--may depend on how much free time you have in Dubai and whether you're interested in how the 2% of the 2% live on the road. Information: the Burj Al Arab TOUR OF AN ICON page.

CREDIT CARD ACQUISITION BONUSES

Chase: Five Free Marriott Nights (Maybe) For $5,000 in Spend
It's hard to keep track of all the Marriott-branded credit cards given the pace that Chase and American Express churn them out. But the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card is offering five Marriott free night certificates when you spend $5,000 during the first 90 days you have the card. In fairness, however, that isn't as rich as it seems. With Marriott's dynamic pricing, many of its properties cost more than the 50,000-point cap on the free nights. So know you needs. As an everyday spend card, Boundless offers six points per dollar on Marriott spend; three points per dollar on the first $6,000 combined spend at grocery stores and gas stations and on dining purchases; and two points per dollar spent on other charges. The annual fee is $95 and is bundled with silver status in Bonvoy and 15 elite credits per year. Information: the Chase SPECIAL OFFER FOR YOU page.

Capital One: Savor Cashback With a $300 Statement Credit
Capital One has come roaring back in the wallet wars with a fine points-transfer option and generous acquisition bonuses on its flagship Venture X card. But I'm convinced the best card offered by Capital One is Savor. It offers 4% cashback on all dining and entertainment spending and 3% on grocery spending. It is a compelling offer for a card with a $95 annual fee. Now there's an additional perk: a $300 statement credit when you spend $3,000 in the first three months. Information: the Capital One SAVOR REWARDS page.

Barclays/Hawaiian Airlines: 70,000 Bonus Points Plus More
Hawaiian Airlines is a niche carrier to Hawaii, of course, but its niche is growing larger. Besides coverage around the West Coast, Hawaiian also flies nonstop to Honolulu from Boston and New York/Kennedy. (The Boston flight is actually the nation's longest domestic nonstop.) Which explains why you may be interested in the Hawaiian Airlines credit cards from Barclays. The consumer version has an acquisition bonus of 70,000 miles after you spend $2,000 in the first 90 days. The card also offers a one-time 50% off coupon for a companion coach roundtrip ticket between Hawaii and the mainland and an annual $100 companion discount. The annual fee is $99.

Bank of America: 50,000 Points in the Worthy Flying Blue Program
The Air France/KLM World Elite Mastercard from Bank of America is worth getting just for its acquisition bonus: 50,000 Flying Blue points for $2,000 in spend within 90 days. The Air France KLM Flying Blue program is useful for a raft of reasons: While it charges co-pays of as much as $300 one-way on business class tickets, you can often find forward-cabin seats to Europe for as little as 55,000 points one-way. That is substantially cheaper than dealing with Delta's rapacious SkyMiles program. Moreover, you can move American Express, Chase, Capital One and Citibank points into Flying Blue. The annual fee is $89. Information: the Bank of America ONLINE OFFER page.