Star Tribune wins honorable mention for travel journalism

The Star Tribune has won the honorable mention for best newspaper travel coverage in the 2022-2023 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition, put on by the Society of American Travel Writers. The awards were announced Sept. 8 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's the Strib's fifth honorable mention in seven years, in addition to winning the silver prize last year. Quoth the judges: "This is a smart mix of diverse stories that feature beautiful prose, solid journalism and a variety of destinations, from Belize to Mississippi or from the Great Lakes to Laura Ingalls Wilder's home. Excellent work."

This year's top winners were the New York Times (gold), Cleveland Plain Dealer (silver) and the Boston Globe (bronze). Melanie Radzicki McManus also won the honorable mention in the U.S./Canada category for her Star Tribune story "Wisconsin's Oddball House on the Rock."

Delta Air Lines is making some big changes to its SkyMiles loyalty program and its Sky Club airport lounge access. Starting in 2025, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express cardholders will be limited to 10 Sky Club visits per year. SkyMiles Platinum Amex members (who currently may enter for $50) will lose the perk entirely.

Also, earning elite Medallion status for 2025 will no longer be based partly on mileage and segments flown, but entirely on dollars spent (the so-called "MQDs") on Delta and its Amex cards. And the spending requirements for status will increase: from 3,000 to 6,000 MQDs for the Silver tier, for example, and from 20,000 to 35,000 MQDs for the Diamond level. Members will earn one MQD for every dollar spent on Delta, for every $10 spent on the SkyMiles Reserve card, and for every $20 spent on the SkyMiles Platinum.

Following the devastating wildfires in Maui, Delta has suspended its planned winter nonstop flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul to the Hawaiian island — only three months after the new route was announced. Customers who had already purchased the nonstop winter flight from MSP to Maui's Kahului Airport were automatically rebooked with connecting service, but if the new flight is a significant schedule change, customers would be able to get a full refund by clicking "Need to Cancel?" on delta.com or the Fly Delta app.

While locals have mixed feelings about the return of tourists, Maui's tourism officials have been asking travelers to return. Delta is maintaining its year-round nonstop service from Minneapolis to Honolulu, which is on Oahu.

Staff reports

Autumn just might be the perfect time to enjoy the last of the year's idyllic days spent at the swimming pool in places like Las Vegas. In the heart of the Strip, the Cosmopolitan's pool scene is perfect for discerning travelers. Its stylish and socially vibrant Pool District offers a distinctive set of aquatic playgrounds where guests can enjoy a refreshing dip and some relaxation in the sun, or gather socially for food and drink. Rather than paying a traditional rental fee for cabana and daybed reservations, guests commit to a built-in food and beverage minimum for the day (cosmopolitanlasvegas.com).

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