Nonstop flights from MSP to Paris during the Olympics are as low as 20,000 points

Delta Air Lines and Air France are reporting millions in losses as travelers choose not to travel to France during the Olympics — and that could result in some last-minute flight deals for travel hackers.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC that the carrier expects a $100 million loss: “Unless you’re going to the Olympics, people aren’t going to Paris ... very few are,” he told the channel. Delta partner Air France, for its part, forecasts a loss of at least $195.5 million. One result is that last-minute nonstop airfares from Minneapolis to Paris are still pretty ordinary right now — as low as $1,070.

But the real bargains may be for those with transferrable credit card points. In recent days, we found last-minute flights from Minneapolis to Paris on Air France during the Olympics for as little as 20,000 Flying Blue points in economy, or 35,000 points in premium economy. Air France’s Flying Blue is a transfer partner with all of the major travel credit card points programs, including American Express’ Membership Rewards, Chase and Capital One.

To search award availability, create a Flying Blue account at Air France’s website.

Simon Peter Groebner

Just a stone’s throw from Yellowstone National Park’s northwest border, in Big Sky, Mont., you’ll find a cluster of hand-built cabins at Lone Mountain Ranch. Authentic and luxurious, the historic accommodations, tucked creekside, in the pine trees or in meadows, help visitors conjure the days when the property was a working cattle ranch, operating in untamed country. Then as now, the region is home to stunning vistas and abundant wildlife including grizzlies, black bears, bison and wolves. In the company of guides or on your own, adventurers have the chance to fish Blue Ribbon trout streams and explore the last best place via horseback, mountain bikes, paddleboards and on the many hiking trails in the area (lonemountainranch.com).

FamilyTravel.com

At a time when overwhelmed European destinations are slapping tourists with restrictions and fees, Copenhagen is trying a different approach: rewarding visitors who act responsibly. Tourists who demonstrate climate-friendly travel behavior will be granted access to museum tours, kayak rentals, free meals and more. For instance, those who arrive by bike or train at CopenHill, an artificial ski slope built on top of a new waste management center, will be able to go down the rooftop hill for free. Other sites will allow visitors to volunteer in cleanup efforts. The National Gallery of Denmark will hold workshops to turn plastic waste into pieces of art, while the Copenhagen Surf School will offer a free lunch to surfers who take part in 30 minutes of beach cleaning. More than 20 attractions will be participating in the pilot program over the summer.

New York Times