American and Hyatt Break Up, and Hyatt Quickly Finds a Rebound

And more of today's top travel news stories.Today in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: a United Airlines 9/11 commemoration event is being canceled; the State Department warns against marijuana travel; the UK may impose tourist taxes; and Hyatt and American Airlines are ending their partnership. Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news. Some or all of this article was crafted with help from AI. An editor reviewed and vetted this article before publishing. 1 OF 5 U.S. State Department Warns Travelers Against Taking Cannabis Products Abroad Americans traveling internationally are being reminded to leave marijuana and cannabis-derived products at home, regardless of whether those products are legal where they live in the United States.The State Department recently used its official X account to warn that travelers can face arrest or other criminal penalties for bringing marijuana, THC, CBD, edibles, oils, concentrates, vape cartridges, and similar products across international borders. A medical prescription does not necessarily make a cannabis product legal in another country.What matters is the law of the country a traveler is entering. Some destinations impose severe penalties for cannabis possession or importation, including places where marijuana has been legalized or decriminalized in some circumstances.Travelers also need to consider countries where they are only making a connection. State Department guidance notes that local laws can apply during an airport transit stop, and advises Americans to check the rules for every country on their itinerary before departure.Read more at Travel Pulse. 2 OF 5 Hyatt and American Airlines Wind Down Loyalty Partnership as New Delta Alliance Takes Shape Hyatt is reshuffling its airline loyalty relationships, phasing out its enhanced partnership with American Airlines while announcing a new collaboration with Delta Air Lines.The American-Hyatt arrangement won’t disappear all at once. AAdvantage members whose accounts are linked with World of Hyatt by 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time on November 15 can continue qualifying for Hyatt awards through American’s Loyalty Point Rewards program until February 28, 2027. World of Hyatt members who link their accounts by November 15 can continue earning AAdvantage awards through Hyatt’s Milestone Rewards program through December 31, 2026.One piece of the relationship will remain even after the broader partnership ends. AAdvantage members will still be able to choose 500 miles instead of World of Hyatt points on eligible Hyatt stays by providing their AAdvantage number at check-in.Meanwhile, Hyatt and Delta have announced what they describe as a new exclusive loyalty collaboration between World of Hyatt and Delta SkyMiles, expected to launch in the coming months.The first announced benefit, called Dual Earn, will be aimed at eligible elite members of both programs. World of Hyatt elites will be able to earn Hyatt points on qualifying Delta airfare in eligible fare classes, while Delta Medallion members will be able to earn SkyMiles on qualifying stays at participating Hyatt hotels.Neither company has yet released the full eligibility rules or an exact launch date, with additional details expected closer to the program’s debut.Read the American Airlines announcement. And the Delta announcement. 3 OF 5 United Cancels 9/11 Memorial Flyover in Denver After Community Concerns United Airlines has scrapped a planned Denver flyover commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks after concerns were raised about how the display might affect people on the ground.The airline had planned to send a Boeing 777 into the air with four fighter jets on Friday morning. The formation was scheduled to appear at 9:03 a.m., matching the time United Flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.Although the commemoration was intended as a private event, the aircraft would have been visible to the public. Denver officials had begun warning residents about the planned display in advance, acknowledging that the sight and sound of a passenger plane accompanied by military aircraft on the anniversary could be alarming to people who did not know it was a memorial.United subsequently canceled the flyover, citing concerns raised within the community. Its other anniversary events will proceed, including the unveiling of a 9-foot-11-inch monument made with steel recovered from the World Trade Center at the airline’s Denver Flight Training Center.Read more at Fox31 Denver. 4 OF 5 England to Let Regional Mayors Impose Overnight Visitor Levies Visitors staying overnight in parts of England could eventually pay a new local tourism charge under plans announced by the British government.The proposed Overnight Visitor Levy would give regional mayors the option of adding a percentage-based charge to accommodations, with the proceeds remaining in the region. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has presented the measure as part of a broader effort to shift more financial authority away from London and toward local governments.Burnham has said the levy is expected to come into force toward the end of the next financial year, while mayors are expected to outline how they would spend the revenue by early 2028. Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner said proceeds could support services, attractions, and public spaces used by residents and visitors.Hospitality groups are opposing the plan. UKHospitality cited research from Oxford Economics estimating that a fully implemented 5% levy by 2030 could reduce economic output by £2.2 billion and cost roughly 33,000 jobs. The organization also argues that Britain’s 20% VAT rate on hospitality is already about twice the norm across much of Europe.Scotland has moved ahead with its own visitor levies. Edinburgh introduced a 5% charge in July, applying it to a maximum of five nights.Read more at Reuters. 5 OF 5 EU Proposal Could Give Cities Firmer Ground to Restrict Short-Term Rentals European cities struggling with housing affordability could gain a clearer framework for limiting short-term vacation rentals under new rules proposed by the European Commission.The proposal would establish a common EU approach for assessing whether restrictions on platforms such as Airbnb are justified in places facing severe housing pressure. Among the indicators local authorities could consider are unusually high home-price-to-income ratios and sustained increases in that ratio over the previous decade.Any restrictions would have to be supported by evidence, necessary to address the local problem, confined to the areas affected, and nonretroactive. Local governments would still decide whether restrictions were warranted.The proposal comes after destinations including Paris, Barcelona, and Venice adopted their own rules for vacation rentals, sometimes leading to legal disputes over what cities were permitted to do. The Commission says a common framework should give communities greater clarity when responding to local housing conditions.Airbnb argues that restricting short-term rentals does not address Europe’s underlying shortage of homes and has urged policymakers to put greater emphasis on construction, renovation, and vacant properties.The proposal is not yet law. It must be negotiated with EU member states and the European Parliament before it can take effect.Read more at Reuters.