UPI -- In an effort to move passengers onto airplanes quicker, Delta Air Lines is beginning a complimentary program to load passengers' carry-on bags for them. Called Early Valet service, airport customer service agents will take passenger carry-ons into the aircraft before general boarding and stow them above the customer's assigned seats. Bags will be specially tagged, similar to what you'd see at a hotel for room delivery. The program started on a trial basis last year and expanded June 1 in cities including Atlanta, Detroit, Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Salt Lake City and New York. It was tested last year at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and at Los Angeles International Airport and showed some time savings in the boarding process.

 

World's 10 most scenic airport approaches

CNN--Here are the top 10 scenic airport approaches, according to PrivateFly's 2015 survey:

1. Queenstown Airport, New Zealand

2. Las Vegas McCarran Airport, United States

3. Nice Cote D'Azur Airport, France

4. Barra Airport, Scotland, UK

5. St. Maarten Airport (Princess Juliana International), Caribbean

6. Saba Airport (Juancho E Yrausquin), Caribbean Netherlands

7. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Canada

8. Gibraltar Airport, UK

9. London City Airport, UK

10. Cape Town Airport, South Africa

The world's wildest frequent-flier awards

"Is my airline making enough award seats available?" "Are carriers going to keep upping the mileage required for free tickets?" "Is a first-class ticket available for my dream trip to Asia?" Most conversations about redeeming frequent-flier miles tend to focus on the basics. But report by the IdeaWorks consultancy uncovers the "wild, weird and wonderful" awards that "savvy airlines" use to "intrigue customers with mileage awards that go far beyond flying."

• Elite members of EVA Air's frequent-flier program can enjoy the 100,000-mile award that offers a 90-minute training session in one of the airline's flight simulators 
• American Airlines offered a package bid for two to see Justin Timberlake, including event tickets, hotel accommodations and a $600 prepaid MasterCard
• On El Al, would-be grooms choosing to pop the big question can redeem 120 points plus pay $60 for the airline's in-flight marriage proposal kit.
• Qantas: 35,500 points is good for a private sidecar tour of Beijing, including a gourmet lunch and sparkling wine served along the wall of the Forbidden City.
• Etihad Airways stages raffles that cost 100 miles per ticket, such as an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix package for two.

Some 2015 hotel openings we are excited about

As always, contact your Protravel agent for the best rooms and amenities

• New York City: The Knickerbocker Hotel; The Baccarat Hotel
• Miami: Element Miami Doral
• Mexico: Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Mexico City; Frida Kahlo, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Guadalajara
• Paris: La Reserve Paris; Hotel de Crillon, a Rosewood Resort
• Italy: Mandarin Oriental Milan; Sheraton Lake Como
• Turkey: St. Regis Istanbul
• Middle East: St. Regis Dubai; Rosewood Dubai; Langham Dubai; Shangri-La Hotel, Doha; Four Seasons Bahrain Bay 
• Africa: Park Hyatt Zanzibar; Radisson Blu Marrakech; Park Hyatt Marrakech; Four Seasons Casablanca; Mandarin Oriental Marrakech
• China: Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort; Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort ; St. Regis Macao Cotai Strip; Ritz-Carlton Macau; Ritz-Carlton Nanjing; Ritz-Carlton Mission Hills, Hainan Island; Anantara Guiyang, Guizhou
• Japan: Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto
• South Korea: Four Seasons Seoul
• Malaysia: St. Regis Kuala Lumpur; Ritz-Carlton Langkawi
• Philippines: Conrad Manilla; Shangri-La, at the Fort, Manila
• Thailand: Hotel Indigo Bangkok; Sheraton Koh Samui
• Indonesia: Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (pictured below)
• India: W Retreat & Spa Goa

 

 

Dubai building hotels faster than any other city

Bloomberg--The Burj al Arab. The Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The palm island's Atlantis. All unmistakably Dubai, the Persian Gulf emirate that turned itself into a luxury tourist destination. Now Dubai is doubling down by building hotels at the fastest pace of any city, putting pressure on occupancy and rates that are among the highest in the world. The 14,385 rooms under construction will increase supply by about a fifth, according to industry researcher STR Global, and thousands more are planned. A drop in Russian tourists last year served as a warning that events outside Dubai could quickly hurt demand. The city is stepping up efforts to woo tourists with marketing initiatives, additional flights and easier visa policies.

• Waygo: Simply point and translate with your smartphone, no internet required. Translates food menus and signage. App translates Chinese, Japanese & Korean characters with more languages on the way Click here to download

• Canary-Teen Safety: Trusting your teen with a car can be nerve-wracking moment for parents. Canary will notify you if your teen's iPhone or Android is being used (texting, calling or using social media) while the car is traveling at more than 12 miles per hour. The parents also get an alert whenever the car is breaking a speed limit. Click here to download

'Business Insider' Names Top 50 Restaurants
Here's the top 10. Your Protravel agent can get you to all these destinations Click here for the full list

The Benjamin
Indulge in a luxurious retreat to Midtown Manhattan at The Benjamin Hotel and save up to 20%. Guests' rest will be optimized with their expertly-curated Rest & Renew Program, sumptuous dining at Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's The National and salon & spa treatments by Federico Hair & Spa. Book through your Protravel agent by July 31, 2015, for stays through September 7, 2015.