THE BIG TRAVEL DEAL

American Airlines: Play Your Cards Right for a Big Mileage Score
Citi finally ponied up enough cash for exclusive right to issue American AAdvantage credit cards, but it won't happen until next year. That opens a window for a smash-and-grab score when you play Citi against Barclays, the bank losing its piece of American's business. Barclays offers an exceptionally rich opportunity since its basic card (the Aviator Red) is a very easy score. You'll earn 60,000 AAdvantage miles simply by making a single purchase and paying the $99 annual fee. Once you've smashed Barclays, turn to Citi and hit one of its AAdvantage cards. The Platinum Select, for example, will give you 50,000 miles when you spend $2,500 in the first three months. The $99 fee for this card is waived in the first year. In other words, earn 110,000 AAdvantage miles for $99 in fees and a little more than $2,500 in spend. Even in these inflationary times, that is a good score.

THIS WEEK'S OTHER NEW BARGAINS

Small Luxury Hotels: 30% Off in 2025, But You Must Hurry
Small Luxury Hotels (SLH), the boutique lodging edge of Leading Hotels of the World, is something of a mixed bag: There are fabulous gems, quirky independents and a few that make you wonder how they rate the name "luxury." Still, if you desire non-branded independent lodging with style, SLH is the place. And for a brief period, more than 150 participating properties are offering 30% off their standard rates. Only a handful are located in the United States or Canada, so that widens the opportunities if you're searching for global options at a substantial discount. The good news: You can reserve rooms at the discount through 2025. The bad news: You must book by January 8. A two-night minimum stay is required. Information: the SLH SALE page.

Air Canada Aeroplan: Fourth Night Free on Hotel Redemptions
Airline frequency programs stopped offering good deals on hotel redemptions decades ago, but Air Canada Aeroplan (and its related credit card) is a unique frequent flyer plan. So maybe this isn't as much of a surprise as you might assume: If you are an Aeroplan credit card holder, you'll receive a free fourth night when you book participating hotels using Aeroplan points. Book six nights with points and receive two free nights. The promotion is available for stays through December 31, 2025. Information: the Air Canada EXTEND YOUR REST FOR LESS page.

MEMBER-ONLY DISCOUNT

Ancient Europe: $500 Members-Only Discount on Greeks-in-Sicily Tour
Darius Arya, the brilliant and charismatic archaeologist who just happens to be married to our own Erica Firpo, is fronting a fascinating antiquities tour and he's offering an exclusive $500 discount for members. The 8-day May offering, Ancient Greece in Western Sicily will cover all the appropriate antiquities, of course, but will also offer exclusive Sicilian wine tasting and fine art, too. The trip includes 4-star hotels and will be personally led by Arya aided by other experts. I've prevailed upon Darius to offer JoeSentMe members a $500 discount off the posted tour prices. You can score the deal by dropping a note to assistant@romanculture.org and use the phrase "Joe Sent Me, he really did!" (BTW, as with all member-only discounts, this deal is solely for your benefit. I receive no payment of any kind should you join either tour.)

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THE DISCOUNTS UP THERE

Neos: Premium Nonstops to Bari for Only $1,400 Roundtrip
Neos, the small Italian scheduled carrier that's a division of a large Italian tour operator, has carved a niche for itself by flying nonstop from New York/JFK to both Milan/Malpensa and Palermo, Sicily. Now it is adding a third destination and a unique one: Bari in the Southern Italian province of Puglia. With Italy's main cities overrun with tourists, a nonstop to a relatively less visited area like Puglia comes as a welcome bonus. There'll be one weekly nonstop from Kennedy between June 3 and October 15 using Boeing 787-9s. The aircraft is configured with a standard coach cabin and a Premium section configured 2x3x2 with 42 inches of legroom. All in all, a fabulous bargain if you can score the $1,400 roundtrip. Tickets can be purchased via the Neos home page.

Finnair: Europe Business Class Sale Via Our Helsinki Hub
Want to fly business class to Madrid for as little as $2,729 roundtrip? Warsaw for $2,988? You can do it if you fly Finnair and change aircraft at Vantaa, Finnair's stylish, compact Helsinki hub. But I suggest a better use of Finnair's business class sale fares is to reach European cities where nonstops are scarce or nonexistent. Examples: Budapest for $2,754, Riga (Latvia) for $3,037 or Berlin for $3,061 roundtrip. The quoted prices are from New York/Kennedy, but Finnair offers similar deals from its other U.S. gateways, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle and Miami. Information: the Finnair BUSINESS CLASS FLIGHT OFFERS page.

Air Tahiti Nui: Secret Nonstops to Paris, Surprisingly Cheap
Before ultra-long-haul flights were common, the airlines overcame the daunting distances by flying between third countries en route to their destination. They were often permitted to carry passengers between those nations in order to fill their aircraft. A few of these "secret flights" still exist today. One example: Air Tahiti Nui, which connects its Polynesian home to Paris via the United States. The surprisingly good island carrier can fly you nonstop between Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle and Paris/CDG for notably inexpensive fares in coach or premium economy. Roundtrip coach fares start at $902, a great West Coast bargain. Premium economy on Air Tahiti Nui's Boeing 787s--38 inches of legroom at seats configured 2x3x2 with 13-inch monitors and amenity kits--runs about $1,800 roundtrip. Information: the Air Tahiti Nui FLIGHTS TO PARIS page.

Africa: The Lost Continent for Business Class Deals Now Has a Few
I don't want to oversell this, but given how infrequently the airlines deal on business class seats to Africa, I find these airfares notable. Air France, for example, is selling Boston-Casablanca seats for as little as $3,068 roundtrip. That's over Paris/CDG, of course. Meanwhile, its KLM partner is selling Minneapolis-Casablanca for even less ($3,059) roundtrip. If your destination is sub-Saharan Africa, consider KLM's $3,734 roundtrips between New York/JFK and Nairobi. Even better, KLM is offering business class between Los Angeles and Kilimanjaro for as little as $4,064 roundtrip. Those flights are over KLM's Amsterdam hub, of course. TAP Air Portugal seems to be dealing big on flights to Accra over its Lisbon hub. It has posted business class roundtrips for just $3,003 from Boston and $3,315 from Washington/Dulles. If you can handle some backtracking, Emirates over its Dubai hub is selling business class from Miami to Cairo for $3,695 roundtrip. From San Francisco, flights to Nairobi are $4,607. And Qatar Airways continues to post extremely attractive Africa fares over its Doha hub. New York/Kennedy to Johannesburg is available for as little as $3,695 roundtrip and Seattle-Cape Town is listed as low as $3,937 roundtrip. Now the caveats: This is not an industry-wide sale, but spot discounts I discovered by searching the respective carriers' Web sites. Seats are limited and availability is on sporadic dates over the next few months.

Turkish Airlines: Business Class Deals to Istanbul and India
Turkish Airlines serves more international destinations than any carrier in the world. Its business class is well-regarded. And its hub at the new Istanbul Airport wins raves for design and amenities (although the walks are often daunting). On the other hand, many flyers prefer not fly to or through a country controlled by an unpredictable autocrat (Is there any other kind?) who's tried to remake once-secular Turkey into an Islamic theocracy. Which is my long-winded way of saying these otherwise notable deals are your call. The airline is selling business class between Los Angeles and Istanbul for as little as $3,083 roundtrip in October. San Francisco is pricing out as low as $3,475 roundtrip. Seattle roundtrips can be as low as $2,226 in the next six weeks. And flights from Houston can be as low as $2,975 roundtrip in September, October and November. Looking to travel to India? Dallas to Mumbai via Istanbul is as low as $2,482 in November and December. Seattle-Delhi is as low as $2,312 in December and January. Atlanta-Mumbai is as low as $3,082 roundtrip from October to mid-January. Information: the Turkish Airlines DISCOVER OUR FLIGHT OFFERS page.

Singapore Airlines: Longest Flights, Cheapest Premium Economy Fares
Singapore Airlines may be positioned as a premium airline, but it was late with a dedicated premium economy class. And its premium economy cabin has lagged in sales since its 2015 introduction. A recent refresh probably won't move the needle, either. So it is constantly discounting--and discounting heavily--to fill the cabin. That means superb bargains on long-haul flights across the Pacific. On its Los Angeles-Singapore nonstops, for example, the premium economy cabin sells for as little as $1,703 roundtrip. San Francisco-Singapore is selling for even less: $1,623 roundtrip. The biggest bargain of all: New York/JFK or Newark-Singapore/Changi for $1,323 roundtrip. Those are literally the world's longest nonstops. There are similar bargains around Asia via Singapore/Changi Airport from all SIA gateways in the United States. Information: the COMPARE FLIGHTS page.

British Airways: AARP Deal Is Back--Again. Save $200 in Business
British Airways has a long-standing partnership with the AARP and its discount deal is back again. BA once offered AARP members $400 off roundtrips. Now it's less compelling: $200 roundtrip off business class and $65 off standard coach or premium economy fares. Still, it's never wise to look a gift fare discount in the mouth. The current deal is valid for BA flights booked by January 31. You must be an AARP member, of course, which offers great value for the $12 annual rate. Information: the EXCLUSIVE AARP MEMBERS page.

STAY ON THE WAY/STAYOVER OFFERS

Iberia: Free Stopover in Madrid for As Long as Nine Days
Once a niche carrier, Iberia has made substantial inroads in the U.S. market by offering extremely attractive fares over its Madrid hub. Now another incentive to change planes in the Spanish capital: a free stayover that can last as long as nine days. As with most of the industry stopover schemes, the idea is simple: Find a route and book a stop either on the departure or return via Madrid. Information: Iberia's STOPOVER HOLA MADRID page.

Etihad Airways: Two Free Hotel Nights With Abu Dhabi Stops
After a nasty financial patch and misbegotten attempt to buy into weak airlines to create a fourth alliance, Etihad has rebounded and is again serving five North American cities: New York, Washington, Chicago, Boston and Toronto. Since all connecting flights require a change in Abu Dhabi, a stayover in the United Arab Emirates makes sense. Etihad now offers two free nights in a three-star hotel or 40% off stays at 4- and 5-star properties. There are also discounts and packages on dining, attractions, sporting events and other activities in Abu Dhabi, which fancies itself as more sedate and sophisticated than Dubai, its historic rival. YMMV on which city is better--and whether you prefer a layover with Emirates via Dubai--but at least Etihad is again making the effort to attract your long-haul business. Information: the Etihad ABU DHABI STOPOVER page.

Emirates Airline: Dubai in a Day (or More)
As many as 88 million people passed through Dubai Airport last year and the Emirates Airline superhub hosts lots of North Americans headed to the UAE and other destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. With so many connecting flights to so many places--and with the time zones completely askew--Emirates offers a spread of stopover and stay-on-the-way deals and packages. A 12-hour bundle, for example, includes a Dubai city tour, one-hour excursion around the harbor on a traditional wooden dhow, a desert ramble that includes a stop at a camel farm and a buffet dinner. That costs about US$100. For about the same price, a three-day itinerary includes a city tour, a safari run, a kayak adventure, dinner cruise and other attractions. There are also special rates available at the city's wide array of hotels and resorts, many of them among the most luxurious in the world. Information: the Emirates DUBAI EXPERIENCE page.

Turkish Airlines: Stay Up to Two Days Free in Istanbul
You'd be surprised to learn the identity of the carrier that flies to more nations than any other. It's Turkish Airlines, hubbed at sprawling and elaborate Istanbul Airport. The airline flies to 274 destinations and offers connections from more than a dozen gateways in the United States and Canada. Another perk: the Stopover in Istanbul scheme. It allows travelers connecting in Istanbul to spend a night or two in Turkey's largest city while Turkish picks up the hotel tab. Connecting coach flyers are eligible for a one-night stay at a 4-star hotel and business class travelers can get two nights in one of Istanbul's five-star properties. Some folks will not fly on Turkish because Turkey is ruled by an increasingly autocratic strongman who has been intent on turning the once proudly secular nation into an Islamic redoubt. But if you're flying Turkish--which is part of the Star Alliance and often offers great business class deals--why wouldn't you avail yourself of a free stop in one of the world's most intriguing cities? Information: The Turkish Airlines STOPOVER IN ISTANBUL page.

Qatar Airways: Stay on the Way With Doha Discounts
Qatar Airways has grown its Doha home into a global megahub and it carries many American travelers onward to Africa and Asia. But if you're interested in spending some time in the ultra-modern Qatari capital along the way, Qatar Air offers a raft of on-the-ground discounts. For stayovers as long as four nights, hotel rates start as low as $28 a day per couple for four-star properties. Beachfront hotels start as low as $60 a couple a night. There are also substantial discounts on city tours and attractions. One caveat: You'll need a visa to overnight in Qatar, but the airline can help handle that, too. Information: the Qatar Airways EXPERIENCE MORE page.

Icelandair: Add a 7-night Free Stay in Iceland to Your Trip
Icelandair, and before that Icelandic, has survived for decades in the cutthroat transatlantic market by leveraging its position between North America and mainland Europe. It has used Reykjavík as its continent-to-continent connecting hub and regularly promoted stay-along-the-way packages. It's the latter that is of interest now: The airline is permitting stays in Iceland for as long as seven days when you fly between North America and Europe. The so-called Stopover in Iceland program is available at no extra charge on your outbound itinerary. The airline's Web site also does an excellent job helping you book the stop. Information: Icelandair's STOPOVER IN ICELAND page.

Copa Airlines: Up to 7-Day Free Stopover in Panama
Panama's Copa Airlines is one of the few stable and reliable carriers in Latin America. The Star Alliance airline also has developed an efficient hub at its hometown of Panama City that connects destinations in the United States to both Central and South America. And now an added perk: A free stopover of as long as seven days in Panama City. The stay-on-the-way offer can be used on the departing or returning itinerary. The airline also works with Panamanian tourist authorities to offer up a bundle of tours, hotel stays and other add-ons. Information: the PANAMA STOPOVER page.

TAP Air Portugal: Free Portugal Stopover Can Now Be Ten Days
In the early days of transatlantic jet travel, free "stopovers" in the country of arrival were a standard perk. The deal was eventually abandoned as longer-haul nonstops came to dominate flying. But "stay along the way" offers are making a comeback among airlines that depend on connecting traffic to compete with longer nonstops. TAP Air Portugal is probably the best current practitioner of the stopover. The airline originally revived the deal with a free, three-day stopover in Portugal as part of roundtrip, transatlantic nonstops to Lisbon or Porto. It was then upped to five days. Now the offer is 10 days in Portugal before continuing to your next destination. There are other perks attached to the stopover, including a 25% discount on domestic flights, hotel discounts, museum and attraction admissions and freebies with meals. Information: the VISIT PORTUGAL page.

SATA Azores Airlines: Free Stopovers To/From Europe
It's a huge understatement to suggest that SATA Azores Airlines flies under the metaphoric radar. It's one of the least publicized carriers in Europe. But the islands-based carrier serves a number of gateways in the United States (New York, Boston and Oakland) and Canada (Toronto and Montreal). So when it offers free stayovers of as long as seven days en route to and/or returning from Europe, it's worth considering. Among its European destinations are London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan and, of course, Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. The stayover allows you to add in visits to the Azorean islands of São Miguel or Terceira. If your geography fails you, the Azores lie about midway between the United States and the Portuguese mainland. And if your meteorology fails you, the winter months in the Azores are mild (daytime temps in the low 60s, evenings in the mid 50s). Information; the SATA STOPOVER page.

CREDIT CARD ACQUISITION BONUSES

American Express: Ready to Play Even Richer Platinum Card Roulette?
For all the tough competition, the American Express Platinum Card remains the, um, gold standard against which all other premium cards are judged. Whether you find its $695 annual fee too pricey (Will Allen's conclusion), fair (Bob McGarvey's conclusion) or a hard-boiled calculation (my conclusion) is another matter. YMMV, as they say. If you can justify the card based on club access or statement credits or hotel deals or its excellent earning for airline charges (five points per dollar), now is the time to apply. The public acquisition proposition lately has been 80,000 points, but you can find offers as high as 175,000 points. The problem is finding them because Amex plays roulette with its links and varies the offer based on the browser you use, your browser history or even cookies on your device. Best solution? Google "Amex Platinum 175K points" and you're likely to find the biggest offer with the same purchase requirement ($8,000 in six months).

Wells Fargo: One Travel Card Won't Rule Them All, But Still ...
Wells Fargo hasn't been a big player in the travel card segment. But now comes the Autograph Journey Visa that Wells Fargo hopes will be a category killer. It's compelling, but not a category killer. The Autograph Journey Card offers a strong earnings proposition: 5 points for hotel spend; 4 points on airline purchases and three points on dining and most other travel charges. The annual fee is low ($95) and offset by a $50 annual statement credit against airline charges. There's generous trip-cancellation and lost-luggage coverage, cell-phone protection and no foreign transaction fees. Wells Fargo is even creating a points-transfer operation. Points accrued on Autograph Journey can be transferred 1:1 to Air France/KLM Flying Blue and programs operated by British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus. Wells Fargo promises more partners to come. And there's a hefty acquisition bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. So where does the Autograph Journey card fail? The car-rental collision-damage waiver is secondary, ride shares don't earn extra points, there's no trip-delay coverage and probably a shallow pool of future points-transfer partners. Still, it's an impressive package for a functional $45 annual fee. Information: the Wells Fargo AUTOGRAPH JOURNEY CARD page.

LODGING BARGAINS TO CONSIDER

IHG One Rewards: Double Points Starting With Second Stay
IHG One Rewards, the loyalty program covering InterContinental and its other 18 brands, tends to be a low-value plan. So double points don't get you a lot of traction. But if you are a regular at Holiday Inn Express or other IHG brands, you'll want to play. The new offer: double points on each stay starting with the second one. The promotional period is January 1 to March 31. Registration is required, of course. Information: the IHG UNLIMITED DOUBLE POINTS page.

Hilton Honors: Double Points Because Double Points Is The Minimum
The Hilton Honors program is so weak as an earning vehicle that the hotel chain routinely must offer double award points just to stay competitive. So keep the chainwide Double Your Stay promotion in perspective. You'll receive double points between January 1 and April 30. There's no limit to the earnings and the promotion is valid at all Hilton hotels and resorts worldwide. Information: The Hilton DOUBLE YOUR STAY page.

Best Western: Same Old, Same Old--This Time With Points
Best Western hotels doesn't get, er, points for originality. It's run variations--gift cards or Best Western Rewards points--of its so-called Rewards Rush promotion for years. This season, it's points: 5,000 bonus points for two nights of stays. The upside: the two nights of stays don't need to be consecutive. The downside: The promo only runs until February 2 and is valid only at BW outlets in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean. You can earn the bonus four times during the promotional period for a total of 20,000 points. Information: The Best Western LIMITED TIME OFFER page.

IHG One Rewards: 3,000-Point Bonus for an App Booking
I waffle on the value proposition offered IHG One Rewards, the loyalty program of InterContinental Hotel and its many other brands. But if you're an IHG player, there's no reason not to pounce on this: 3,000 bonus points for booking a stay through the IHG app. The offer seems fairly straightforward: be an IHG One Rewards member, register for the promotion, then book via the app and complete a stay within 30 days.

Omni Mount Washington: Third Night Free and an F&B Credit
The enormous, enormously popular and enormously expensive Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, offers thrilling views, excellent restaurants and a cornucopia of activities: a spa; golf and tennis; stables; ice skating, snowshoeing; and several types of skiing. But like many resorts, it has trouble filling off-season days. The solution: a buy-two-get-one sale. When you book two nights at the Flexible Rate, you will get a third night free. Also included: a $50 food-and-beverage credit. What isn't included: the tax and resort fee on the third night. As always with offers of this type, don't assume this rate is the cheapest. Check it against the price of paying the lowest available rate for three nights. Information: Omni's BUY 2 NIGHTS, GET 3RD NIGHT FREE page.

Loews Hotels: Some Sweet Stuff With Suite Rentals
Loews Hotels is a tiny hotel group with a tiny footprint (just 15 cities), but many travelers swear by the chain's properties and services. If you're one of them, then consider this special offer. Reserve a suite at most Loews outposts around the country and the chain will throw in some goodies: up to $125 a day in food and beverage for up to seven nights and the property's fastest WiFi service. Information: the Loews A SUITE DEAL page.

Omni Hotels: Golf Swag From a PGA Partner
Omni Hotels is the official lodging partner of the PGA Tour, so the chain is trying to capitalize on the link with golf swag and course discounts. Book a golf package at one of 11 Omni resorts and you'll receive: one round of golf per registered guest each day of your stay; unlimited use of the driving range; a pack of Callaway golf balls; a PGA Tour hat for each adult; and a $100 resort credit. The participating Omni properties include resorts in Arizona, California, Texas, Virginia, New Hampshire, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Information: The Omni PGA TOUR GOLF PACKAGE page.

BACK HERE ON EARTH

Film: At 30, TCM Now Sells Cruises, Festivals and Tours, Too
Turner Classic Movies (TCM), celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024 and the TV network has marked the event on-air with some of its most honored movies and new programs. But the channel's corporate owner, Warner Bros. Discovery, is intent on expanding TCM's brand. The TCM Classic Cruise, for example, sails October 8. The five-day roundtrip itinerary on Disney Magic departs from Port Canaveral and makes calls at Disney's Lookout Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. Along the way, you will visit with the TCM hosts as well as revisit classic movies. Remaining staterooms start at $2,710 per person for two traveling together. If you prefer to stay on land, the TCM Classic Film Festival is April 25-27 in Los Angeles. You screen old films (you figured that out, right?) and mix and mingle with movie-themed guests. Early-bird prices for the three-day event start at $399 a person. Pricier packages add a fourth day (April 24) with an opening night gala party and Red Carpet Screenings. Lastly, the TCM Classic Films Tour is a customized version of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. The 3.5-hour program includes film clips, visits to locations not on the Warners tours and a specially trained TCM guide. Prices start at $95 for adults.

Cambridge: Summer Learning Because, You Know, Cambridge
There's a certain appeal to going to the seats of British learning and spending a week or two in the summer pretending our brains are still flexible enough to absorb new knowledge. (Kidding, I'm kidding.) Oxford's summer programs are the best-known (see below), but Cambridge offers even more intensive one-, two- or multi-week sessions. Cambridge courses, more than 130 in all, are lighter on pop-culture stuff than Oxford, but much stronger in deep-dive topics such as philosophy, modern art, British law, literature, astronomy, physics, creative writing and Medieval history. You can also double up, taking a morning and an afternoon course during your school week. Tuition fees start at 1,055 pounds a week and about 2,005 pounds for two-week versions. You can stay in lodgings located in Cambridge's historic colleges--fees start at 525 pounds a person--or you can arrange your own lodging elsewhere. Courses are available from July 13 to August 9 and class sizes are limited to a maximum of 25 students. Information and details: the University of Cambridge INSTITUTE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION page.

Oxford University: How to Be a (Summer) Rhodes Scholar!
It is silly to say that I have a "favorite" deal, but nothing gives me more pleasure each year than writing that Oxford University's Summer Schools have opened for registration. If you're not familiar with the so-called Oxford Experience, the iconic English University uses its campus in the summer for dozens of one-week courses spanning the gamut from pop culture to historical dives and from hands-on experiences to high-art reflections. Courses include meals on campus and, if you wish, accommodations. In 2025, more than 80 courses are held from July 6 to August 23, a week later for the start and finish than usual. Sessions also include distinctly non-academic extras: welcome drinks, pub visits, croquet, Morris dancing and a gala dinner to finish the week. Some of this year's classes: "What Is British Cinema in the 21st Century?" which cogitates on the relationship between British identity and film; "Telling Right From Wrong," an ethics survey; a course on Beatles music and one on Verdi's operas; a course on the post-impressionists and several on Shakespeare; plus dozens more. I mean, where else can you learn about a thousand years of British gardens or the search for German identity in modern times? Prices for the week start at around 1,600 pounds and include course work and lunch and dinner in Christ Church's dining hall. Lodging for a week in Christ Church dorms starts at about 600 pounds. Information: the Department of Continuing Education OXFORD EXPERIENCE page.

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.