uplift travel protection

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How Uplift Buy Now, Pay Later Works for Travel 

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

What is Uplift buy now, pay later?

Which airlines offer financing through uplift, how uplift works for travel, should you use buy now, pay later for travel, alternatives to uplift, if you’re interested in using uplift to pay for travel.

Many travelers want to book vacations, but with inflation and surging demand affecting the price of airline tickets, rental cars and other household expenses, sometimes they simply don't have the money. Instead of carrying a balance on high-interest rate credit cards, some are turning to buy now, pay later options like Uplift to finance their travel.

Here's a look at how Uplift buy now, pay later works, when you should or shouldn’t use it and what other alternatives exist for financing a trip.

Uplift is one of the buy now, pay later options available to finance purchases of clothes, household goods, travel and more. BNPL allows you to spread the cost of purchases across multiple payments.

These financial technology — or fintech — companies generally offer easier credit than traditional credit cards or personal loans. Some don't pull a hard inquiry from your credit report, which means that signing up won't affect your credit score.

Uplift doesn't charge any fees to customers, including late fees or prepayment penalties. However, depending on your purchase and credit history, you may pay interest between 0% and 36%. Uplift charges simple interest on its loans, which means it doesn't charge interest on top of interest.

» Learn more: Factors that affect your credit score and how to improve them

When booking your flight, you’ll notice that many airlines offer BNPL financing through Uplift or one of its competitors. Uplift is currently available for use on many U.S. and international airlines.

Here are a few of the major airlines that offer financing through Uplift:

Air Canada.

Alaska Airlines.

Allegiant Airlines.

Frontier Airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines.

Southwest Airlines.

Spirit Airlines.

United Airlines.

Delta Air Lines and American Airlines use a different BNPL service called Affirm.

Here's how to book your flight using Uplift:

Find a participating airline .

Choose your travel dates, departure city and destination as usual.

Select the flight that meets your needs.

Enter traveler(s) details.

At the payment screen, select Uplift as your payment method.

Enter your personal details and click "check my rate."

You’ll be presented with several payment options, including higher and lower monthly payments. Choose the payment plan that works best for you.

Complete your purchase.

How to apply for Uplift financing

The application process is quick and easy. After selecting Uplift as your payment method during checkout, you’ll provide basic personal information like your name, mobile number and date of birth. If you are a U.S. citizen, you must also provide your Social Security number. Then, you'll receive an instant credit decision.

Depending on your credit history, purchase details, repayment term and other factors, you may or may not pay interest on your purchase. Uplift interest rates vary between 0% and 36%.

Uplift will send email and text reminders when a payment is due. You'll make payments at Uplift.com according to the plan that you selected — loan proceeds go to the airline from Uplift.

Automatic payments are available to ensure that all of your payments are made on time. If you don't authorize this, you'll need to make each monthly payment manually. You can also pay off your balance early without incurring prepayment penalties.

Even if you don't have a flight to purchase, some of Uplift's partners allow customers to pre-qualify ahead of time. This will give you a good idea of how much you can afford through its buy now, pay later financing.

» Learn more: Tips for traveling without a credit card

While many people view BNPL loans as a good way to finance purchases, they may not be a wise choice. The loans can make it easy to get into debt, and the recurring payments can quickly overwhelm your budget.

Here are some reasons you may want to skip financing with a BNPL loan:

Cannot travel immediately. Because the payment process between Uplift and the airline isn't immediate, you must wait a few days between booking your flight and when you travel. For travelers who are in a hurry, BNPL financing may not work.

Fees add up. Though Uplift advertises itself as a fee-free service, other BNPL apps may charge fees. Depending on the size of your purchase, BNPL fees may be more than the interest charges from other options, like a credit card or personal loan.

No flexibility with payments. When you make a BNPL purchase, there’s a predefined repayment schedule that you must adhere to. You cannot extend your repayment schedule or refinance your payments through Uplift. Payments are usually more than the minimum payment due on a credit card. If you can’t make the BNPL payment, some lenders charge a late fee. In most cases, you can’t make any additional purchases until your account is brought current.

Credit limits can be much lower. Many BNPL apps offer financing without the traditional hard credit check and underwriting that credit cards require. Because of that, credit limits tend to be lower than many credit cards.

Doesn't earn rewards. Most BNPL loans don't earn rewards like a credit card when paying for your flights. This makes it harder to earn miles, points or cash back toward your next vacation.

No travel benefits. Travel credit cards also include other benefits that BNPL apps don't include, such as trip interruption or cancellation insurance, delayed/lost baggage protection and trip delay reimbursement.

Not all airlines accept BNPL apps. The roster of airlines that accept BNPL financing is growing, but not all airlines currently participate. Among the major U.S. airlines, only American Airlines doesn't offer BNPL financing. Alaska, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and United all offer some form of buy now, pay later payment options.

» Learn more: How travel credit cards work

While buy now, pay later loans are growing in popularity, they aren't always the best option when booking a flight. These payment alternatives to Uplift may be a better option for your situation:

Pay with your existing credit card. While you may pay a higher interest rate, credit card minimum payments are fairly low. Because of this, you'll have more flexibility with your monthly minimum payments over a loan through Uplift.

New credit card 0% APR offer. If you need extra time to pay off your purchase without incurring interest, a 0% APR credit card is an excellent option.

Get a personal loan. A personal loan offers a fixed payment schedule. Lenders who do traditional underwriting may offer a lower interest rate than a company like Uplift that does a quick credit check.

Apply for peer-to-peer lending. Peer-to-peer lending platforms are a good option for consumers with fair credit.

» Learn more: Best 0% APR and low interest credit cards

BNPL lenders like Uplift enable customers to pay for their flights over time without using their credit cards. Depending on your credit and purchase details, you may qualify for 0% financing on your purchase.

While BNPL financing can be attractive, remember that you won't earn additional rewards like you would when using a credit card. Additionally, these purchases don't have the same benefits and protections as a credit card, and won’t offer insurance for trip cancellation, lost bags or a trip delay. Consider all of the factors before deciding if using Uplift or BNPL loans are right for you when booking your next flight.

Yes, you can pay for someone else's flight using Uplift. You don't have to be on the trip to use this payment method.

No, you may travel even if your balance isn't paid off. This flexibility is actually one of the main benefits of using Uplift buy now, pay later financing. The main caveat, however, is that you should allow a few days between your purchase and travel dates so that the application and payment process can be completed.

If your plans change and you need to cancel the flight, the first step is to contact the airline. The airline will process the cancellation and, if you are eligible for a refund, the airline will notify Uplift. Your account will be updated when the cancellation is fully processed. Travelers who aren't eligible for a refund are still responsible for paying the outstanding balance on their Uplift account.

Yes, you can use Uplift to finance multiple purchases at a time. Uplift looks at several factors, including your credit information and existing BNPL loans, before approving each request. Note that approval by Uplift in the past doesn't guarantee your next application will be approved.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

We'll Be Right Back!

Suggested companies

Uplift financial, inspire uplift.

Uplift   Reviews

In the Travel & Vacation category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 4.8.

4,277 total

Most relevant

I think Uplift is a fantastic option…

I think Uplift is a fantastic option for people who want to take a vacation but do not have the resources to pay in full and can do it thanks to uplift. Monthly payments meet expectations and interest rates are not high. I'm fascinated. Thank you

Date of experience : April 18, 2024

It is very early in my experience with…

It is very early in my experience with Uplift but I will say very easy application and approval process Interest rates are pretty high but it leaves my credit cards open to use while traveling. Planning on paying off early to keep interest costs to a minimum. I will definitely look at them as an option when booking my next cruise!

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

Well, this is my first experience with Uplift and the only experience I’ve had so far is that I got an immediate response when I applied and I’m so grateful for that. I’m really looking forward to a great experience with Uplift. Thanks for everything.

Uplift is very helpful for those who…

Uplift is very helpful for those who can’t put money down on a trip in full. It gives people time to pay over time with no stress and interest if you pay it off in time, I’m very grateful this is my second time using them.

My aunt was dying

My aunt was dying. I am a travel nurse and had to emergeantly fly from Phoenix AZ to Orlando Florida. Without uplift I was not able to afford the emergent flight. I was able to purchase the ticket be with my Aunt for 5 days she was still in right mind but her lungs we ceasing to function. I was very close to her she was my mothers sister whom I Lost to Cancer at 17. My aunt passed with loved ones at the bedside. Thank you for allowing me to be there

Very quick and easy process

Very quick and easy process. The whole thing only takes a couple of minutes and makes my vacation purchases very easy. Being able to pay over time is convenient and much more manageable.

Uplift was a God send

I needed to go see my youngest daughter in Texas. It was very important. I am on disability and I am on a tight budget. The plane tickets were high. I didn't know how I was going to afford the flight. I was booking on Southwest airlines and Uplift showed up. I tapped on it and now I can make payment for the flight. I don't know what I would have done without Uplift. Thank you Uplift.

Date of experience : April 06, 2024

I have contacted and sent screenshots…

I have contacted and sent screenshots of the blocked access on my account several times. There is nothing wrong with my device and nothing has been done. I was in the market for a consolidation loan but can’t get on your site so I’ll be using another company for my loan needs!!

do not bother using uplift for car rentals

If I could give zero I would. I used to rent a car from budget and eventually missed my late son's funeral because neither budget or uplift knew what the heck they were doing and kept tossing me around on the phone for two hours. Disgusted customer service. If you know that budget cannot service customers through uplift then I do not know what the heck you approve people for

Date of experience : April 09, 2024

Big purchases no problem

I really like the fact I can take a trip using my uplift credit. Paying it off easy to budget. I recommend Uplift to those who like to spread spending their money over time making big purchases.

Family Cruise in 2025!

Joining Uplift allowed me the opportunity to vacation with my family. My family and I vacation together every year. This trip was booked during tax season and I wasn’t attending. Couldn’t afford it…Uncle Sam hit me hard this year. Uplift changed my decision and the planning was simple, affordable and convenient.

Date of experience : April 11, 2024

I recently purchase a flight ticket and…

I recently purchase a flight ticket and Uplift gave me the option to make monthly payments it was actually very convenient for me ! Thanks uplift

Date of experience : April 17, 2024

THE EMERGENCY TRAVEL APP.

I've used your service last vacation and it was so convenient for me to pay overtime and have my cash to spend in jamaica. Thanks for allowing me to do the same again this year. Recommend to all.

Date of experience : April 15, 2024

I have used your service before and was…

I have used your service before and was very satisfied. I will be telling people about your company. I will continue using your services in the future as well.

Love Uplift

Love having the ability to make monthly payments, company is great! Never had any issues:)

Easy process

I have purchased plane tickets several times. The process is easy and pay back is flexible. Uplift makes travel possible when you may not have all you need for a good price ticket.

We love to travel

I love the freedom of using uplift, my husband and I have used uplift for years and have enjoyed several trips that we would never have been able to afford to pay all at once. I love that there is no penalty for early payoff and if I need to more time to pay my monthly payment, they are more than accommodating, all done in the app❤️

Date of experience : April 13, 2024

Easy and Great APR

This payment method is new to me, and it's more like a credit for tickets. I like it because it's easy to use, and they give me the option to upgrade from economy to business class.

Date of experience : April 14, 2024

Great option

Easy option to take advantage of pre-season sales!!!! Fast customer service. I have used this company several times and will continue to do so!!!

Uplift is amazing

Uplift is amazing! We were able to enjoy a dream vacation because of uplift. It allowed us to book our vacation with ease and pay later! Thank you Uplift we are now a month away from our dream vacation!

Date of experience : March 24, 2024

• Credit Cards
• All Credit Cards
• Find the Credit Card for You
• Best Credit Cards
• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best 0% APR Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards to Build Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
• Find the Best Personal Loan for You
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt
• Best Loans with Fast Funding
• Best Small Personal Loans
• Best Large Personal Loans
• Best Personal Loans to Apply Online
• Best Student Loan Refinance
• Best Car Loans
• All Banking
• Find the Savings Account for You
• Best High Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Checking Accounts
• Best No Fee Checking Accounts
• No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts
• Best Checking Account Bonuses
• Best Money Market Accounts
• Best Credit Unions
• All Mortgages
• Best Mortgages
• Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for No Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score
• Best Mortgages No Origination Fee
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• Affording a Mortgage
• All Insurance
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Life Insurance for Seniors
• Best Homeowners Insurance
• Best Renters Insurance
• Best Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Best Boat Insurance
• Best Motorcycle Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Event Ticket Insurance
• Small Business
• All Small Business
• Best Small Business Savings Accounts
• Best Small Business Checking Accounts
• Best Credit Cards for Small Business
• Best Small Business Loans
• Best Tax Software for Small Business
• Personal Finance
• All Personal Finance
• Best Budgeting Apps
• Best Expense Tracker Apps
• Best Money Transfer Apps
• Best Resale Apps and Sites
• Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps
• Best Debt Relief
• Credit Monitoring
• All Credit Monitoring
• Best Credit Monitoring Services
• Best Identity Theft Protection
• How to Boost Your Credit Score
• Best Credit Repair Companies
• Filing For Free
• Best Tax Software
• Best Tax Software for Small Businesses
• Tax Refunds
• Tax Brackets
• Taxes By State
• Tax Payment Plans
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• All Help for Low Credit Scores
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
• Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Building Credit
• Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score Lower
• Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower
• Best Mortgages for Bad Credit
• Best Hardship Loans
• All Investing
• Best IRA Accounts
• Best Roth IRA Accounts
• Best Investing Apps
• Best Free Stock Trading Platforms
• Best Robo-Advisors
• Index Funds
• Mutual Funds
• Home & Kitchen
• Gift Guides
• Deals & Sales
• Sign up for the CNBC Select Newsletter
• Subscribe to CNBC PRO
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Terms Of Service
• CNBC Sitemap

Follow Select

Our top picks of timely offers from our partners

Find the best credit card for you

'buy now, pay later' can help fund your next trip but here's what you need to know about these loans, select walks you through what you need to know if you're considering a point-of-sale loan to finance your next trip.

With summer in full swing, and many countries easing travel restrictions, you might be eager to plan a post-pandemic trip. Even if you managed to save some money ahead of time, travel expenses can quickly add up, and you might be tempted to choose the 'buy now, pay later' option that's offered at checkout on many travel websites, including Carnival or Expedia.

These point-of-sale loans are seductive to consumers who don't want to pay for their post-pandemic vacations with one lump-sum payment, allowing people to make payments over a fixed period of time, sometimes without high interest rates.

But is using the 'buy now, pay later' option to pay for your flights or hotel stays too good to be true?

Select explores some of the benefits and drawbacks of using 'buy now, pay later' for travel.

What are point-of-sale loans?

How do point-of-sale loans work, should you use point-of-sale loans for travel, bottom line.

'Buy now, pay later' providers (also known as point-of-sale loans) offer consumers the option to sign up for a payment plan either when they're buying something on a retailer's website or directly through the loan provider's website ahead of purchase

Point-of-sale loans give consumers the ability to make installment payments over a fixed period of time until they completely pay off their purchase. This means that you'll make payments toward your purchases bi-monthly or monthly depending on the plan and/ or provider.

These payments can typically be automated by providing your debit card or bank account information. While many providers boast 0% interest rates, some point-of-sale loans can have interest rates upwards of 30%, higher than the APRs on many credit cards.

Some of the most popular providers are Afterpay , Affirm , Klarna and Uplift . Klarna offers point-of-sale loans, some with 0% APR, that allow you to make four payments every two weeks and require a deposit at checkout, while Afterpay allows you to pay over six weeks. Afterpay, Uplift, Klarna and Affirm also offer consumers longer payment periods of up to one, two or even three years.

When you purchase a flight or an item, you're given different financing options at checkout, such as the opportunity to pay with a credit card, gift card or point-of-sale loan . You'll be redirected to the POS provider website where you can enter your personal information. 

Some companies won't perform a credit check while others will perform either a soft or hard credit inquiry . Soft credit checks don't negatively impact your credit score , but hard inquiries will temporarily decrease your score. Based on the information you enter, you'll either be approved or denied for the loan.

Afterpay doesn't do any credit checks while Klarna does soft and hard credit checks, depending on the loan.

The impact a point-of-sale one has on your credit score depends on whether the provider reports your payment history to the credit bureaus . For example, Affirm only reports your credit history to Experian for some loans and not others. For the loans that Affirm does report to Experian, your payment history, the length of your credit history with Affirm, the amount of your loan and your late payments can all show up on your credit report.

Make sure to read the terms and conditions of your POS loan to see if your negative payment history is reported to the credit bureaus.

Travel expenses might seem like the perfect opportunity to use a point-of-sale loan because it's oftentimes a big purchase that you might not have the immediate cash on hand to cover.

Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm and Uplift all offer 'buy now, pay later' option for certain travel partners. Affirm has partnerships with Delta Vacations, Priceline, StubHub and Alternative Airlines, a flight booking website. Uplift is exclusively focused on providing point-of-sale loans for travel, with around 200 travel partners , including United Airlines, Kayak , Southwest Airlines and Royal Caribbean. 

Uplift will help you cover transactions costing anywhere from $100 to $25,000. Interest rates range from 7% to 30%, but there are a few travel partners such as Carnival Cruise Line and Atlantis that have a 0% APR, according to Tom Botts, chief commercial officer at Uplift. The average APR for an Uplift point-of-sale loan is 15%, which is similar to the average APR for credit cards .

"We use a variety of factors to determine eligibility," Botts says. "Interest rates are based on a number of factors including credit history, transaction amount and time to travel."

Uplift also only performs a soft credit check which won't negatively impact your credit score.

If you're able to secure a loan with 0% APR and make your payments on time, a point-of-sale loan could be a good choice for funding a trip. But if those monthly payments won't easily fit within your budget, be wary of a POS loan and read the fine print beforehand to determine how much you'll end up paying in interest.

For example, if you use Affirm to finance your purchases on Alternative Airlines , you can only get a 0% APR on your point-of-sale loan if you buy a flight that costs less than $500. If your ticket costs more than $500 , you could incur an interest rate of up to 30%, depending on your creditworthiness.

If you spend $1,000 on a flight and choose a 12-month payment plan with Affirm, you'll have to cough up nearly $100 in interest if you have a 20% APR on your loan. One perk of using Affirm over a credit card is that you'll have a longer payment period (of 3, 6, 12 or 18 months) which helps to spread the expenses over time into more manageable payments. And with an installment loan from Affirm or Uplift, the interest doesn't compound month over month, so your payment stays the same over the loan's term.

But a big drawback of using point-of-sale loans for travel is having to deal with unexpected problems, like trip cancellations or delays, says Priya Malani, the CEO and founder of Stash Wealth.

"If a trip is canceled or delayed with unexpected fees, your loan is still due. You're on the hook for the agreed upon total. Even though you may have checked out in one fluid process, you're still working with two separate entities — the travel provider and the POS loan provider," Malani says.

When it comes to funding your resort stay in Cancun or your flight to the Maldives, there are other options for financing your trip.

Travel rewards credit cards offer higher rewards rates for money spent on travel and the points you earn can go toward booking flights or hotels. While travel credit cards typically come with an annual fee, some offer a 0% introductory period, so you won't have to worry about high interest rates kicking in for 12 months or longer. If you go the 0% APR route, make sure you set up a repayment plan and pay the minimum each month so you don't end up paying late fees or big interest charges.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is currently offering a welcome bonus offer where new cardholders can earn 60,000 points after they spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Points can be redeemed for $750 worth of travel when booked through Chase Travel℠.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Excellent/Good

Terms apply.

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ) is also a solid choice but comes with a smaller welcome bonus and higher rewards rate than the Preferred, giving 2X miles per dollar on every purchase and a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus miles if you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

5 Miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 2X miles per dollar on every other purchase

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

N/A for purchases and balance transfers

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

See rates and fees . Terms apply.

Travel cards also often come with additional perks such as car rental insurance, trip cancellation insurance and purchase protection. You won't get any of these perks when you use a POS loan for travel.

If you worry about putting a big expense on your credit card or you're only eligible for a POS loan with high APR, you should also consider creating a travel fund instead.

By saving your money in a high-yield savings account , you'll be earning more (thanks to compound interest ) than you would be if you put your money in either a checking account or a traditional savings account. Creating a separate fund for travel can also give you a money goal to strive for and setting up automatic monthly transfers can help you avoid spending money on other short-term, more frivolous purchases.

Point-of-sale loans are attractive because of how easy they are to use — you simply provide some basic information about yourself to the loan provider before checking out and you can instantaneously get a loan that will allow you to spread the cost of your trip over a few months. If you're not diligent about reading the fine print, however, there can be a lot of caveats to using the 'buy now, pay later' option, including high interest rates and late fees.

• Best sole proprietorship business credit cards Jason Stauffer
• This is the best budgeting app to help investors track their money Jasmin Suknanan
• 5 best credit cards with pre-approval or pre-qualification Jason Stauffer

Travel Now. Pay Later.

Travel now. pay later..

Your dream trip doesn’t have to wait. We partner with Uplift to give you the option to break your payments into convenient monthly installments, even AFTER you’ve already traveled.

Uplift allows you to stretch your budget and lock in prices while they're at their lowest, allowing you to do more with your money, like upgrading your room and booking excursions. Travel now, pay later.

Ready to book? Just select “Pay Monthly” at checkout and complete an easy, commitment-free application. Submit an application and you’ll receive a quick decision. From here, you can pay off our vacation in fixed monthly payments!

Still have questions? Give us a call at 1-855-592-3224 and we will gladly explain how it works.

• Go to navigation
• Go to main content
• Go to search
• Go to footer

Main content

Uplift - book now. pay over time..

Feel good about what you book and how you pay for it. With Uplift, you can make thoughtful purchases and pay for them in bite-sized pieces while keeping yourself on budget.

Flight search

Why uplift.

Now you can spread your adventure into easy payments with Uplift's Pay Monthly option. Uplift, a third party provider, offers access to affordable payment options that fits nicely within your monthly budget. It's a fast and easy way to turn your ideal vacation into a reality.

Low Monthly Payments

Budget-friendly loan options

Easy Application

Quick decision

Surprise-Free

No late fees or prepayment penalties

Easy AutoPay

No payment dates to remember

How Uplift Works

Select Uplift at Checkout

Add your trip to the cart just like you normally would. When you are ready to book, choose Uplift as your form of payment.

Quick & Easy

Provide a few pieces of information and receive a quick decision.

Enjoy your trip now and pay for it over time with low monthly installments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is uplift.

Uplift gives you the freedom to book travel now and pay over time with simple fixed installments. Some plans include interest while some are interest-free. When you’re ready to checkout, just select “Uplift” as your payment method, complete a short application, and receive a quick decision. Choose the terms of your payment plan, finish checking out, and enjoy your purchase. Then, pay over time with simple, no-surprise monthly payments.

How do I apply?

Shop for your items and add them to your cart just like you normally would. When you are ready to checkout, simply select Uplift as your payment method. To apply, you’ll need to provide some basic information like your mobile number, date of birth, and if you are a US resident, your Social Security Number. If you’re approved, finish checking out and you’re done.

How are my loan term offers determined?

We look at a number of factors, including your credit information, purchase details, and more.

How do I make installment payments?

You can make a payment anytime by visiting  ​ pay.uplift.com  and clicking on the Loans tab. From there, click the Make a Payment button. We recommend that you enable AutoPay at time of purchase so that your payments are automatically deducted each month. If you don’t have AutoPay enabled, visit  ​ pay.uplift.com , click on the Accounts page, and set the AutoPay toggle to ON. You can also change the form of payment on file with Uplift anytime by visiting  ​ pay.uplift.com .

I purchased a trip using Uplift, can I travel before it's paid off?

Yes! You do need to allow a few days between booking and your departure date for things to process. Other than that, you are free to travel whenever - even before you're all paid off.

What is Uplift's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use?

You can read Uplift's at  ​ Privacy Policy and ​ Terms of Use .

Down payment may be required. Actual terms are based on your credit score and other factors and may vary. APRs range from 0% to 36%. Not everyone is eligible. Loans made through Uplift are offered by these ​ lending partners .  ​ Privacy Policy  and  ​ Terms of Use . Uplift’s Address: 440 N. Wolfe Road Sunnyvale, CA 94085

Booking Procedures

• Carnival Vacation Protection (CVP)
• Deposit and Final Payment Guidelines | Forms of Payment
• Cancellation and Change Guidelines | Refunds
• Infants / Minors / Pregnancy
• Passenger Vessel Service Act - Jones Act
• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration
• Carnival Conquest
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Firenze
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Jubilee
• Carnival Legend
• Carnival Liberty
• Carnival Luminosa
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Miracle
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Paradise
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Radiance
• Carnival Spirit
• Carnival Splendor
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Valor
• Carnival Venezia
• Carnival Vista
• Ship Class Guide
• Fun Ship Features

Have Fun. Be Safe

• Health Protocols and Requirements for Sailing

Travel Documentation and Online Check-in

• Travel Documents
• Online Check-In

Getting There

• Cruise Terminal Information and Parking
• Airport and Pier Transportation
• Air Information

Before You Board

• Embarkation Day Check-In

Youth and Family

• Youth Programs (Under 2 and 2-11 years old)
• Teen Programs (12-17 years old)
• Carnival's Seuss at Sea
• Age Policies

Things to Know

Onboard experiences.

• Fun Ship Features Quick Reference
• Shore - Excursions
• Spa and Fitness
• Outdoor Fun
• Entertainment and Activities
• For Your Convenience
• Onboard Guidelines and Policies
• Past Guest Recognition Programs

Onboard Celebrations

• The Fun Shops
• Special Occasions
• Wedding Cruises and Vow Renewals

Dining and Beverages

• Dining and Snacking Options
• Dining Rooms
• Beverage Options
• CHEERS! Beverage Program
• Bottomless Bubbles Soda Program
• Liquor and Beverage Policy

Onboard Communication

• WI FI Service and Carnivals HUB App
• Staying Connected

Money and Gratuities

• Gratuities (Tips)
• Sail & Sign Onboard Account
• Forms of Payment
• Cruise Cash/Bar/Photo
• Financial Access

Shipboard Health and Safety

• Passenger Bill of Rights
• Guest Screening Policy
• Safety and Security
• Safety Briefing - Muster Station Drill
• General Health Information
• Privacy Notice
• What to Pack
• Cruise Ticket Contract
• Carnival Vacation Protection
• Guests with Disabilities
• Choosing Your Cruise
• Tech Support
• Early Saver Promotion
• Minors / Infants / Pregnancy
• Making changes to your booking
• Carnival EasyPay
• Financing Powered by Uplift
• US Department of State Travel Tips
• And more things to know....

Debarkation - After Your Cruise

• Preparing to Go Home
• Post Cruise Inquiries
• View All Deck Plans

Financing Powered by Uplift FAQs

• Uplift gives you the freedom to purchase what you want now and pay over time with simple fixed installments. Some plans include interest while some are interest-free.  When you’re ready to checkout, just select “Uplift” as your payment method, complete a short application, and receive a quick decision.  Choose the terms of your payment plan, finish checking out, and enjoy your purchase. Then, pay over time with simple, no-surprise monthly payments.
• Loans made through Uplift are offered by these lending partners: http://uplift.com/lenders . 
• You can apply for an Uplift loan at the time you make your booking or any time there after up to 11 days prior to your cruise departure. 
• Financing through Uplift is not a line of credit. After a guest’s application is approved and the guest accepts a loan through Uplift, additional charges (related to price increases or pre-cruise add-ons) cannot be added. 
• However, any eligible guest is welcome to have multiple active payment plans through Uplift at any given time, each up to a total amount of $15,000USD.  Each time a guest applies to use Uplift, Uplift looks at a number of factors including the guest’s credit information, purchase details, current loan activity, and more. Approval in the past does not guarantee future approvals.
• At this time, financing through Uplift is available to Carnival guests for purchases made prior to cruise departure. This includes add-ons such as Carnival Vacation Protection (CVP), Fly2Fun, prepaid gratuities, etc.*.  Financing powered by Uplift is only available for pre-cruise purchases. 
• Yes. Carnival guests may use Uplift for Carnival vacations ranging in total cost between $100 - $15,000USD.
• Yes. In the event that two or more guests are traveling under a single booking, Financing powered by Uplift may be applied as a form of payment for a portion of the booking. 
• Carnival guests can be approved for monthly payment plans through Uplift for Carnival vacations ranging in total cost between $100 - $15,000USD (including add-ons such as CVP,  gratuities, air, etc.*). Eligibility is based on a number of factors, including the guest’s credit information, purchase details, and more. 
• No. The current Uplift application process requires that one, specific total amount (between $100 - $15,000USD) be defined when a guest’s application is submitted. 
• Guests wishing to change the total value of their application may restart their application for a payment plan through Uplift using a lower or higher total amount any time prior to accepting/confirming a loan (the very last step in the application). 
• When full or partial refund is processed by Carnival using normal cancellation procedures, Uplift will receive the refund and will apply it to the guest’s remaining loan balance. If the amount due to the guest exceeds any remaining balance due to Uplift, Uplift will issue a refund to the guest’s form of payment on file. This process typically takes 2-4 business days after Uplift receives funds from Carnival. 
• If a guest receives a Future Cruise Credit rather than a refund or is assessed a cancellation penalty, they will still be responsible for the outstanding balance.
• Please see Carnival’s Terms of Use for the most up to date Refund Policy.
• 75% ‘Any Reason’ CVP Refunds: Refunds are typically issued in the form of FCC (‘Future Cruise Credit’). Guests should contact Uplift to inquire about possible payment re-arrangements that may be available. Please note that Uplift does not accept Future Cruise Credit (‘FCC’) -- or any form of cruise line credit (Onboard Credit - ‘OBC’ or ‘NROBC’) as a form of payment on existing loan balances. 
• 100% Qualifying Reason: Guests typically receive refunds in the form of an electronic or mailed check following a qualifying 100% refund claim. Guests should contact Uplift to inquire about possible payment re-arrangements that may be available (ex. temporary payment delay while awaiting an approved refund to be issued or arrive). 
• No. Carnival Agents can assist guests who wish to finance part of a Carnival Vacation. The amount financed, including taxes/fees and any add-ons or extras, must be between $100 - 15,000USD.
• No. There are no prepayment penalties associated with any Financing Powered by Uplift plan. 
• Yes. Eligible guests may apply Uplift as a form of payment to any ‘final payment’ or ‘balance due’ following a deposit on their Carnival vacation -- provided that the balance, including taxes/fees, add-ons or extras, is between $100 - 15,000USD.
• Yes. Uplift Pay Monthly may be used for add-ons and extras prior to sailing -- such as Carnival Vacation Protection (CVP), Fly2Fun, prepaid gratuities and more. Guests may add extras on to their cruise fare in one application (up to $15,000) or apply for another payment plan through Uplift to finance any extras and add-ons after booking the cruise-only portion of their vacation. Extras/Add-ons are those items that can be added to the overall booking related costs (i.e. Carnival Vacation Protection (CVP), Fly2Fun, prepaid gratuities, etc.*).   
• Every application has a maximum value limit of $15,000USD. However, any guest (individual) may have multiple active loans through Uplift at any given time.  Each time a guest applies to use Uplift, Uplift looks at a number of factors including the guest’s credit information, purchase details, current loan activity, and more. Approval in the past does not guarantee future approvals.
• Uplift's application for approval involves a soft credit check, which requires a few basic guest details including full name, date of birth, mobile phone number, and the last four digits of their Social Security Number.
• The last four digits of a guest's Social Security Number are used to verify their identity and determine their eligibility. A guest's full social security number will be required to take a loan, as required by federal banking law.
• When entering the last four digits and complete Social Security Number, guests do so privately and securely. 
• Eligible guests can book their cruise with $0 down, followed by as many as 18 interest-free payments * .
• Guests who qualify will be presented with a 0% APR financing option during the application process.
• Eligibility is based on a number of factors, including guest's credit information, purchase details, and more.

Was this answer helpful?

Answers others found helpful.

• How do I make payments on my booking?
• Deposit and Final Payment Requirements
• Cruise Cancellation and Itinerary Change Policy
• Carnival EasyPay FAQs

Existing Account

The email address you entered, {0}, already has an account associated with it. Please click Proceed to log in to your account, or close this window and book with a different email address.

Please Sign In

You must be signed in to save an itinerary or send an email. Please click the Sign In button below to proceed. Or, if you do not have an account with us, please click the Create Account button to create one now.

• Create Account
• To book call (800) 711-0080
• Vacation Packages

Book Online or Call (800) 711-0080

Terms & conditions, terms & conditions.

UNIVERSAL PARKS & RESORTS VACATIONS® TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please review the following information carefully. If you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions, please do not book your travel arrangements with Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations. Universal Parks and Resorts may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time as it is subject to change. Revised 9/26/23

General Conditions: The information provided below is intended to inform you of the various taxes, governmental fees and other charges on any travel-related transactions, fees and charges you may pay when you book your travel arrangements with Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations. All prices shown are in U.S. Dollars ($) and include applicable taxes, fees and charges, except as otherwise noted. Packages and rates are subject to change without notice. Prices are subject to change based upon your choice of travel dates, number of travelers, departure city, and your choice of flight, hotels or other items, and may require a minimum nights' stay. Package prices are guaranteed upon full payment received by Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations, and solely subject to change due to imposition of taxes or other charges by government authorities. Package inclusions and options subject to change without notice. All persons on the same reservation must purchase the same package.

Please remember that you may incur other charges while traveling that are not included in the quoted package price payable to Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations, such as hotel extra-person or extra-bed charges, resort fees, gratuities, hotel energy and/or telecommunications surcharges, parking fees, telephone fees, room service, movies, mini-bar, or rental car insurance, gasoline, and other incidentals.

Air Travel: Once booked, airline tickets are non-refundable. In the event you make changes or rebook your vacation package, the original airfare paid may be applied toward a new ticket, subject to the airlines' fees, rules and regulations, as well as the payment of a re-ticketing fee and any differences in airfare amounts. In the event you cancel and do not rebook your vacation package, you will receive an air credit to be used toward future travel that must be redeemed through Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations. The actual airfare could be higher at the time of redeeming the air ticket credit, which would be the traveler’s responsibility. Airfare credits are limited for use by the named ticketed passenger, for use on the same airline to the same destination (Orlando, FL or Hollywood/Los Angeles, CA), for a period of up to one year from the original ticketing date (except for Spirit Airlines, where air credits are only valid for up to 60 days after cancellation) and are subject to restrictions and limitations imposed by airlines.

Airlines may cancel duplicate reservations without notice. Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations shall not be responsible for any airline schedule changes, delays, cancellations, or any airline's failure to perform for any reason including, but not limited to, strike, inclement weather, or bankruptcy.

Guests are encouraged to reconfirm all flights directly with the airline since flight schedules are subject to change and are not guaranteed. Guests are responsible for any additional fees that may be charged by the airline (such as extra baggage or heavy baggage, beverages, movies, etc.). Any seat selection made at the time of booking is not guaranteed. If seat selection is unavailable through Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations, seats will be assigned at airport check in. Guests age 17 and younger must fly with an adult on the same itinerary and reservation. If you are travelling with minors under the age of 18, please contact the airline directly for any safety regulations or other requirements. Please remember to bring a government-issued photo identification which is required for all air passengers 18 years and older. It is the responsibility of guests to provide full, legal names of all passengers, including the children's ages at the time of booking.

Of course, all air fares may be subject to additional restrictions, may not be available on all flights, and may change without notice.

Taxes and fees are charged per ticket and include, without limitation:

Surcharges - various airline surcharges from $1.50 to over $50 may apply.

Federal Excise Tax - 7.5% of base fare (may be pro-rated for flights from US to Hawaii, Alaska and international destinations). A Travel Facilities Tax of up to $15.00 per roundtrip for domestic flights beginning or ending in Alaska or Hawaii may apply.

Passenger Facility Charges - up to $18.00, depending on the itinerary.

Federal Segment Fees - $3.40 per U.S. flight segment.

September 11th Security Fee - $2.50 per flight segment with a maximum of $10.00 per ticket.

Hotel Accommodations: Hotel check-in is generally 4 p.m. Two double beds are standard in the room unless otherwise stated. Charges for in-room safes, rollaway beds and cribs, plus applicable taxes, are not included in the package price and are payable directly to the hotel. Gratuities, resort fees, parking fees, laundry, telephone calls, meals, beverages, sightseeing or any other incidentals at the hotel are the responsibility of the guest. Adjacent rooms and/or connecting rooms, room locations, types of bedding and smoking preferences are on a request-only basis and subject to availability at the time of check-in. Please advise us of any special needs at the time of booking.

Revision Fees: Once deposit and/or full payment is received, a $50 revision fee per transaction, plus any applicable services fees or price increases, will be assessed for any changes made to the reservation including, but not limited to, dates, air carrier, hotel, and ground transportation if the reservation is within 45 days of arrival. No fee will be assessed if the reservation is 46 days or more from arrival. If within 45 days of arrival no fee will be assessed for revisions that add product to the reservation. A revision fee will only be assessed if there are changes to existing elements of the reservation, such as hotel and ticket, as well as removing products from the reservation. If your vacation includes airline reservations, air change fees apply, plus a $50 per reservation revision fee and any other fees or price increases imposed by the airline will be charged. Fees are non-refundable. Certain types of airline reservation changes, including name changes, are prohibited based upon restrictions imposed by the carrier.

Refunds: Please allow 5-6 weeks for processing refunds. As we are experiencing higher than normal volume, we appreciate your patience.

Car Rental Transactions: If your client keeps a rental car longer than the original reservation, they must pay additional amounts, including taxes, governmental fees and other charges, directly to the car rental agency when they return the rental car. Any additional products or services that are offered to the client by the car rental company at the time of pick-up, must be paid directly by the client to the car rental company.

Cancellation Fee for Bookings: DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL - PENALTIES 46 days or more - Full refund*

45-0 days - $200 fee per reservation, plus fees imposed by hotel, airline and/or other components

*Additional Terms and Conditions apply regarding transactions including Travel Protection Options, air travel, Halloween Horror Nights and VIP Tours. Celebration Vacation package and Universal’s Epic Character Race Weekend Packages require full payment at time of booking and there are no refunds.

Attraction Ticket Purchases and Features: Attraction tickets are non-refundable once purchased. Purchase of attraction tickets only must be paid in full at time of booking and are non-refundable. Additional restrictions may apply. Theme parks, restaurants, shows, attractions, rides, entertainment and other services and features are subject to change without notice and may be closed temporarily due to renovation, capacity, inclement weather, special events, or may otherwise be discontinued or changes without notice and without liability to Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations.

Deposits/Payments: We accept American Express®, MasterCard®, Discover® Card and Visa®. For final payment we also accept personal checks, travel agency checks, money orders and cashiers checks. We will not accept third-party checks. Payments must be made in US ($) dollars. Reservations booked within 45 days must be paid with a credit card.

The credit card used for deposit will automatically be charged the remaining balance on the final payment due date (45 days prior to arrival). If you prefer to pay the balance using an alternate form of payment, please contact our office (800-407-4275) at least 46 days prior to arrival or the credit card used for deposit will be charged the remaining balance.

For reservations that include air travel, the total price of airline tickets are due at the time of booking and must be paid in full, in addition to a deposit of per reservation as described below:

DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL - PAYMENT 46 days or more - $50 per person deposit, plus cost of Airfare, Travel Protection Options and select add-ons due at time of reservation*

45-0 days - Full payment due at time of reservation. Packages booked with a deposit will be automatically charged full payment (restrictions apply).

*Deposit amounts may vary by room type. Celebration Vacation package requires full payment at time of booking and there are no refunds.

Travel Financing Options With Uplift, you can make thoughtful purchases and pay for them in low monthly payments. Down payment may be required. Actual terms are based on your credit score and other factors and may vary. APRs range from 0% to 36%. Minimum $150 purchase required. Not everyone is eligible. Loans made through Uplift are offered by these lending partners: http://uplift.com/lenders. For further information on Uplift policies and terms, please visit http://www.uplift.com.

Travel Protection Options Pre-Departure Cancel for Any Reason plan covers all package cancellation fees imposed by the airline, hotel, car rental company or other travel service provider up to 24 hours prior to the originally scheduled flight departure time or hotel check-in time and all package revision fees. Flight or hotel must be booked through Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations to qualify as beginning of travel. Cancel for Any Reason plan must be purchased at the time of deposit and/or full payment for the package. Once purchased, the Cancel for Any Reason plan is non-refundable, has no cash value, and may be redeemed one (1) time for cancellation. Cancel for Any Reason plan is available for redemption only by the person(s) who booked the travel and is not transferable. All persons ages 3 and over in the travelling party must purchase.

Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations must be called at 800-407-4275 to cancel or modify vacation packages. Fees imposed will be paid one (1) time by Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations. Upon cancellation, a refund will be issued to the original credit card used for purchase and will include all amounts paid, except for the cost of non-refundable air tickets and the cost of the Cancel for Any Reason plan. The full amount of money paid for air travel will be returned in the form of a credit for future travel. Cancel for Any Reason plan does not cover changes in fares, which may be higher at the time of rebooking. All revision fees are waived for vacation package reservations that include Cancel for Any Reason Travel Protection.

A published air ticket credit will be issued per applicable airline policies less airline change fees and Universal will absorb the change fees. The actual airfare could be higher at the time of redeeming the air ticket credit, which would be the traveler’s responsibility. Airfare credits are limited for use by the named ticketed passenger, for use on the same airline to the same destination (Orlando, FL or Hollywood/Los Angeles, CA), for a period of up to one year from the original ticketing date (except for Spirit Airlines, where air credits are only valid for up to 60 days after cancellation) and are subject to restrictions and limitations imposed by airlines. To acquire airfare credit, contact Universal Orlando’s Guest Contact Center. Airfare credit must be redeemed through Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations. Universal Orlando cannot assist with and is not responsible for airfare credit requests made directly with the airline.

Applicable Law, Arbitration, and Responsibility: Please note the CDC advises that older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Guests should evaluate their risk in determining whether to attend. People who show no symptoms can spread COVID-19 if they are infected, any interaction with the general public poses an elevated risk of being exposed to COVID-19, and we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed during your visit.

It is agreed by and between you and Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations, that all claims, disputes and matters whatsoever arising under or in connection with your booking and these policies and procedures shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida (without regard to conflict of laws) and shall be arbitrated pursuant to Section 26 of the Terms of Service. Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations is not responsible for any error or omission. Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations is an independent wholesaler, and the services described are provided by independent contractors. Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations shall not be responsible or liable in any way for any loss, injury (including without limitation personal injury or illness), or any damage caused or arising in connection with customer's travel or other services or products provided through Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations, including but not limited to, any transportation, accommodations, attractions, meals, or other services, including without limitation cancellation or rescheduling due to any acts of God, weather, strikes, acts of Government or other authorities, wars, civil disturbances, hijacks, thefts, epidemics, pandemics, the spread of infectious diseases, quarantines or any other circumstances beyond our control. The terms and conditions of the transportation providers (including all applicable tariffs) shall apply to all transportation services.

Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations is registered with the State of Florida as a seller of travel. Registration number: ST-24215.

• Travel Agents
• Copyright & Trademark
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Terms of Service
• Severe Weather Policy

• Mattress Toppers
• Sheets & Bedding
• Sleep Products
• Cleaning & Laundry
• Heating & Cooling
• Home Office
• Kitchen & Dining
• Storage & Organization
• Wine & Bar
• Accessories
• Handbags & Purses
• Lingerie & Sleepwear
• Outdoor & Fitness Apparel
• Kids Clothes & Accessories
• Pregnancy & Postpartum
• Toys & Books
• Apparel & Accessories
• Camping & Hiking
• Fishing & Hunting
• Tennis & Racket Sports
• Tools & Tech
• Training & Recovery
• Water Sports
• Winter Sports
• Personal Products
• Wellness & Self Care
• Computers, Tablets & Accessories
• Online Tools
• Smart Home Devices
• Smartphones, Smartwatches & Accessories
• Hotels & Lodging
• Travel Products
• Father's Day
• Mother's Day
• Valentine's Day
• Amazon Prime Day
• Beauty & Grooming
• Tech & Electronics
• Travel Deals
• Mattress & Sleep

Uplift E7 Standing Desk Converter Review: The Most Customizable Pick

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

The Uplift E7 Standing Desk Converter nabbed a winner’s spot in my tested review of the best standing desk converters for its impressive weight capacity, sturdy build quality, and because it offered the most customizable design options—I recommend it as the best standing desk converter for multiple monitors. The standard mount supports one monitor, but you can add an optional mount to support two or even three monitors for a multi-screen set-up.

The Uplift E7 won as best standing desk converter for dual monitors in my tests thanks to its high ... [+] weight capacity.

Of the ten standing desk converters that I tested, the Uplift E7 struck me as the most similar to the best standing desks that I’ve tested in the past, complete with a motorized lift, push-button controls and a high-quality wooden (as opposed to laminate) top. The downside is that the Uplift E7 also has a price point that is on a par with what you’ll pay for a full-size standing desk. If you have an office desk or table in your workspace that you can’t replace, then this converter is an appealing option for creating a sit-to-stand workstation without switching up your current furniture. Read on to learn what makes this standing desk converter a worthy upgrade for your work space or home office.

Uplift Desk

Uplift E7 Standing Desk Converter

Width: 30 inches | Height adjustment: Up to 21 inches | Manual or electric: Electric | Weight capacity: 110 pounds | Monitor mount: Yes; single (included), dual or triple mount (add-on required)

• Highest weight capacity
• 15-year warranty
• A drop-down keyboard tray
• If you want to additional accessories
• You aren’t up for an extensive assembly process

The 8 Best Bikini Trimmers, According To Experts

The 9 best eyebrow pencils, according to makeup artists, uplift e7 standing desk converter features, sturdy enough to hold multiple monitors.

The Uplift E7 boasts a 110 pound weight capacity, the highest of any converter I tested. During testing, I set up the converter with a monitor, laptop and other office essentials and found that I could comfortably lean on the work surface without any wobbling or creaking from the standing desk converter. I couldn’t do that with all of the converters I tested because of build quality, a low weight capacity or a lack of space. The Uplift E7 doesn’t have any of those shortcomings and, best of all, the steel center column supports a mounted monitor so I could utilize the entire work surface for my laptop, other work supplies and my coffee cup. This offsets the fact that this work surface is slightly narrower than other other options I tested; it measures 30 inches wide compared to 32 or 36 inches for some other models.

The Uplift E7 can hold two or three monitors, although additional mounting hardware is required for these options. Based on its stable design and hefty weight capacity, I wouldn’t hesitate to use this standing desk converter for dual monitors. The monitor mount uses the common VESA bolt pattern, so it should work for most monitors, and holds up to 17.6 pounds per mount.

I tested the Uplift E7's weight capacity in my home office.

To make sure that you can maintain appropriate head and neck alignment while working, the center column offers multiple height positions for the monitor mount—making it one of the most ergonomic models I tested. Since you’ll only be able to adjust the height of the mount without a monitor attached, it’s worth taking your time during initial set-up to find the right setting for your height. And keep in mind this advice from certified professional ergonomist Lisa Orr: “The monitors should be able to adjust so that the top of your screen (or screens) is approximately eye level (or lower if you view the screen through the bottom of your bi-focals).”

Motorized Lift Mechanism For Effortless Height Adjustments

One of my favorite features on the Uplift E7 was the electric base that delivers quick and easy height adjustments. This motorized lift model is faster, smoother and requires barely any effort to adjust compared to the manual standing desk converters with a spring lift that I tested. In contrast, it can take significant upper body strength to raise or lower a manual standing desk converter with a spring. Or, releasing the spring to extend the standing desk upward can result in a sudden jolt—which often made me move my coffee cup ahead of raising or lowering the desk. The Uplift E7 eliminates those concerns for a seamless transition when changing your working position. Plus, the motor is the same as what you’ll find in the brand’s standing desks and is backed by a 15-year warranty.

The motorized lift on the Uplift E7 allows for easy transitions when adjusting the height of your ... [+] workstation.

I especially appreciated that the controls on this converter are embedded in a small digital panel on the work surface, which made them easy to use. I found it to be super convenient to reach for the height adjustments whenever needed, and I like that it has a memory setting for saving preferred sitting and standing heights. That being said, the control panel did dictate where I placed my laptop or other desk accessories. I sometimes had to shuffle things around to uncover the controls and adjust the height of the desk.

The Most Options To Customize Your Standing Desk

The Uplift E7’s aesthetic and configuration options make this standing desk converter stand out from the others I tested. I picked a solid rubber wood top for the work surface, but you can also choose from a bamboo option, or solid black or white surfaces. The steel base and column can be ordered in black or white, as well. The materials and components of the Uplift E7 make it feel higher in quality compared to other standing desk converters I tested that had laminate surfaces and lighter-duty metal frames and lifting components.

Other available accessories for the Uplift E7 include a cable management kit, standing board and a USB Bluetooth adapter that you can use to pair the standing desk converter to the Uplift Desk App , which you can use to set sitting and standing reminders or set and track your standing goals, among other features. I didn’t test those options while using the standing desk converter, but I’ve tried out the adapter and standing board while testing the Uplift V2 Standing Desk . The standing board especially stood out and helped me stay more active while standing, a habit that Orr encourages. “It’s very important to change your posture frequently throughout the day. For example, fidget and move around occasionally.”

How Does The Uplift E7 Standing Desk Converter Compare?

The Uplift E7 impressed me during testing but my top recommendation for a standing desk converter is the Varidesk Pro Plus 36 . Compared to that pick, the Uplift E7 is much heavier and more expensive (it weighs 92 pounds and starts at $599 for a single-mount monitor configuration). But it also offers more features for the price: it has a motorized lift, options for a solid wood, bamboo or laminate work surface, a removable drop-down keyboard tray and longer warranty coverage. Uplift also offers a warranty for the E7 Standing Desk Converter against defects in parts or workmanship for 15 years, compared to 5 years of warranty coverage for the Varidesk Pro Plus 36.

My biggest takeaways from testing the Uplift E7 were that it closely resembles a conventional standing desk and that it’s sturdy enough for a multiple monitor set-up. But its stability comes at the cost of a lengthy assembly process. It took me over an hour to build the Uplift E7, while other standing desk converters I tested—including the Varidesk Pro Plus 36—arrived fully assembled and were lighter and easier to set up on my desk.

If you don’t mind investing the money, time and effort into setting up the Uplift E7, it’s a great standing desk converter to choose. But for a desk converter that arrives ready to go (and doesn’t need to be plugged in), the manual Varidesk Pro Plus 36 is a compelling option that still has enough space for dual monitors if they’re freestanding.

How I Tested The Best Standing Desk Converters

I tested the Uplift E7 alongside nine other standing desk converters in my home office. Over the span of two days, I put this standing desk converter through repeated cycles of raising and lowering the work surface with a monitor mounted to the center column.

During use, I made observations about how easy it was to use the touch controls and whether the desk’s ergonomic advantages, like a dropdown keyboard tray and the mounted monitor, made a difference in how comfortable or convenient it was to use this standing desk converter. I also timed how long it took me to assemble the Uplift E7 and noted the quality and appearance of the desk and whether its features and materials add up to a good value for the price.

My Expertise

Since 2017, I’ve been researching and writing about new and noteworthy home appliances, lifestyle products and furniture, including office chairs and the best standing desks . I’ve tested products and published articles for The Spruce, MyDomaine, U.S. News and World Report and other outlets. Over the last six years, I’ve been working from home, so I have firsthand experience in setting up a functional home office. I relied on my expertise to identify the factors that are most important to choosing the best standing desk converters.

I also interviewed several experts for this piece, including Lauren Peterson, a physical therapist and the clinical director and owner of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers Oklahoma City; Lisa Orr, a Certified Professional Ergonomist and a Sr. Human Factors Consultant with Sedgwick; and Jeffrey Meltzer, office ergonomics consultant and owner of Applied Ergonomics .

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Uplift Offers Travel Advisors New Opportunities to Upsell

This article originally appears at https://www.mtravel.com/blog/uplift-offers-travel-advisors-new-opportunities-to-upsell/

Have your clients ever asked, “Do you offer a payment plan?” or hesitated to book now due to upfront costs?

Enter Uplift, our exciting new preferred supplier, which gives your clients the option to secure a short-term loan to pay for their vacation or cruise in full at the time of booking. Uplift was designed to make it easy for clients to commit to their dream vacation now with a flexible and convenient monthly payment solution.

Uplift Offers Book Now, Pay Over Time Solution

Uplift is available to Travel Advisors through an easy-to-use agent tool and is integrated into the MTravel booking process for an effortless customer experience. The entire process is quick and easy. The portal allows you to estimate monthly payment costs for clients during the sales process. Should they wish to finance, you can simply send an application link to your client. They can fill out the application on their smartphone or desktop and the entire process only takes a few minutes.

After a soft check on their credit score, the client will be given a variety of payment plan options based on what works best for them. Once the client selects the plan that meets their needs, they will be given their total trip cost along with a monthly payment amount, allowing them immediate booking satisfaction while taking control of their budget. The best part is that this allows your client to travel before their trip is even paid off, and the reservations are paid in full at the time of booking, so you will only invoice a full payment through ClientBase online. There is no charge to the Travel Advisor to offer Uplift. The only cost to travel clients is an annual percentage rate that can be as little as half the traditional credit card rate. And there is no need to worry about chasing down payments, as all plans are done directly with Uplift.

Clients 18 years old and up are eligible to apply if they possess a Debit Card. They can apply for as little as $150 to as much as $25,000 with terms ranging from 3 months up to 24 months. They can even use the Uplift payment plan to pay for third parties in cases where a friend or relative wants to cover the costs of a group or loved one.

A Winning Partner for Travel Advisors

“We are pleased to partner with Uplift so that our network of Travel Advisors can offer their clients a reputable and trusted solution that allows them to experience vacations that may have been otherwise delayed or hesitated planning until they had the savings,” says Christy Schafer , SVP MTravel. “Uplift is an excellent resource to our affiliate Travel Advisors to encourage their clients to enjoy enhancements to their experience, higher category accommodations, or even extended lengths of stay that they otherwise felt they could not splurge on.” Additionally, with the ease of a flexible payment plan through Uplift, a client can take advantage of special offers or pay in full deals before they are no longer available. Uplift makes these scenarios possible, which may translate to improved sales, easier accessibility to meeting goals, and more significant commissions for our affiliates.

If you missed our March Uplift online seminar there is a training video on Agent Connex > Travel Industry Webinars > Uplift – Payment Plans for Vacation Dreams.

To register and become certified with Uplift, please visit learning-uplift.com/us-partner/ . There is a 30-minute certification training and sixteen questions. Within 72 hours of completion, you will receive an email from Uplift with your username and temporary password. If you do not receive an email within 72 hours, please check your spam/junk email folders.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Ce site utilise des témoins de connexion. En continuant à naviguer sur le site, vous acceptez que nous utilisions des témoins.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Entertainment

Mary J. Blige Wants to Show Women They Can 'Thrive' as She Brings Empowering Music Festival to N.Y.C. (Exclusive)

Blige tells PEOPLE about her third annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, taking place where she grew up: the Big Apple

Cindy Ord/Getty

Mary J. Blige is coming home.

The Grammy-winning R&B icon's annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit is back for a third year in partnership with Pepsi and Live Nation Urban, and this time around it's taking place in Blige's hometown of New York City.

Marking the only festival presented by an all-Black, all-woman team, the empowering three-day event goes down from May 10-12 for Mother's Day weekend — which is fitting, as the "Family Affair" singer drew inspiration from her own mom, Cora, during its creation.

The festival features a stacked lineup of celebrities appearing at various events in the city throughout the weekend — including the Strength of a Woman Summit at The Glassouse, where Angie Martinez will host panels, workshops and other uplifting programming.

Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty

But that's just the start: Tiffany Haddish will perform a comedy show at the Apollo Theater on Friday, while Robert Glasper will take over Blue Note Jazz Club with two sets the same night.

Haddish will also serve as the host for a massive concert headlined by Blige at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, and they'll be joined by Jill Scott , Fat Joe , Jadakiss , Muni Long , Lola Brooke, Funk Flex and 50 Cent for the show.

To close out the festival on Sunday, Blige will host a gospel brunch at Brooklyn Chop House in Times Square before The Clark Sisters take the stage at Brooklyn Paramount later that night for a concert.

Blige recently caught up with PEOPLE about how growing up with her mother as a single parent in New York City inspired the festival, and she teased her next album — which may be her last.

Will Sterling

How does it feel to have this empowering Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit returning for a third year?

It's been amazing and exciting and just so fulfilling to do what I always wanted to do, continue to give people a piece of me, uplift us, inspire us and elevate us — the same way I've been doing through my music, I'm doing it through my festival now — and of course, entertain us as well. It feels really good.

This year, the festival is coming to New York City. What does it mean for you to bring this event to your hometown?

It means so much to bring it home because this is where I wanted it to be originally, but we ended up in Atlanta for two years, and it was successful. I love Atlanta. Atlanta's home too, but it just feels amazing to have it at home where I was born and raised. All my family and friends are here, and it feels amazing.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Does having the festival in New York bring you back your time in the city before you made it to the big leagues?

I think that the reason for the Mary J. Blige movement and even the festival is because just as a woman living in New York, and my mother living here and raising us, she was a single parent mother who did it on her own. I watched so many mothers do it on their own, and so many women do it on their own in the environment that I was raised in. It was really hard for us and really hard for those women.

I always said, as a little girl, I wanted to help us in some kind of way. I don't know how, but I never want to see another woman suffer if I can help it. And I saw a lot of women suffer, in the inner city, in New York, and my goal was to uplift us, elevate us and encourage us through just my life and with people watching and saying, "Mary J. Blige can come from where she comes from and survive all that and now thrive, then we can do it too." That was my dream and my vision coming up as a girl in New York and seeing the things that I've seen. And I've done a lot of that.

The festival’s lineup is stacked — Tiffany Haddish, Robert Glasper, Angie Martinez, 50 Cent and more, plus yourself. How do you go about choosing acts for the festival? Was there anyone that you immediately knew you needed to get on board?

I mean, it's just so many people that I wanted, but for the last two festivals, I got everybody I wanted. I got Chaka Khan, one of my favorite artists. I got just a lot of amazing people that I wanted. It's hard because it's about availability for people, and a lot of people I love and respect. I love and respect 50 Cent. I love and respect Muni Long. I love and respect Fat Joe. I love and respect everybody that's on the show. From the concert to the comedy night, I love Robert Glasper. These are people that I love and respect, and that's how I choose them.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Is there any one event that you're really excited to attend yourself this year?

Well, I forgot to mention The Clark Sisters. This is a dream come true, the gospel brunch, and to have The Clark Sisters be a part of this festival. It's amazing, man. It's epic, because a lot of these women, a lot of us grew up listening to The Clark Sisters, and they helped us through a lot of stuff. We call them our “earth angels,” and it's going to be a blessing to see them perform and have that brunch. Of course, I want to see all the performers perform. I just want to see everybody. I'm going to be everywhere, all over the place.

You're going to be performing at the Barclays Center, and you've got a massive catalog of hits and new music. What can you tease about your own performance?

I can just tease the fact that everybody's performing that night with me. So that's going to be fun to have everybody just coming and performing with me that night. I don't want to tell so much, but it's going to be a great night. 

You've released a few singles and collaborations since your 2022 album, Good Morning Gorgeous . What is inspiring you creatively right now?

Just life and feeling good about it. Feeling good about life, having fun with the fruits of my labor, signing acts, continuing to help people to live out their dreams. Like WanMor, my boy group, and Vado, the rapper that I'm on the “Beautiful Life Allstars” song with as my alter ego, Brooklyn. And [my latest single] "Still Believe in Love" is where I'm at. I believe in love for myself, love for life, love for happiness, love for God, love for peace. Know that life is full of ups and downs, and roll with the punches because life is important. That's what's inspiring my music, and I have new music coming too. I'm actually in the studio right now recording more music, and I'm having fun. I'm having fun no matter what happens.

Are you recording for another album or just seeing where the wind takes you?

This is another album, and it's probably my last studio album.

[Laughs] Everybody says that. I mean, OK. I guess it's not then.

Well, you took that back fast.

Nah, I've been doing it for a while. I love it, I enjoy it, and it might be the last studio album. It might be.

Tickets for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit 2024, presented by Mary J. Blige and Pepsi, are available now at the event's website .

Related Articles

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• National Media Release

CBP Releases March 2024 Monthly Update

WASHINGTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released operational statistics today for March 2024. CBP monthly reporting can be viewed on CBP’s Stats and Summaries webpage .

“CBP - in coordination with our partners across the Federal government as well as foreign partners - continues to take significant actions to disrupt criminal networks amidst unprecedented hemispheric migration activity,” said Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner. “Encounters at our southern border are lower right now, but we remain prepared for changes, continually managing operations to respond to ever-shifting transnational criminal activities and migration patterns.”

CBP continues to work closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to quickly process individuals encountered at the border and remove those who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States, delivering strengthened consequences promulgated by the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule and its associated measures. From May 12, 2023 to April 3, 2024, DHS has removed or returned over 660,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the southwest border, including more than 102,000 individual family members. The majority of all individuals encountered at the southwest border over the past three years have been removed, returned, or expelled. Total removals and returns since mid-May exceed removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2011. 

Below are key operational statistics for CBP’s primary mission areas in March 2024. View all CBP statistics online. 

Ensuring Border Security and Managing Migration 

CBP continues to expeditiously process and remove individuals who do not have a legal basis to remain in the country. We are working together with our domestic and foreign partners to jointly disrupt irregular migration across the region, offering safe, orderly, and lawful pathways for intending migrants and taking action against ruthless smugglers who continue to spread falsehoods and show disregard for the safety and well-being of vulnerable migrants. We are also working alongside U.S. government partners to target transnational criminal organizations and smugglers who take advantage of and profit from migrants and taking new measures to stop individuals from exploiting traditional travel methods for migration.

In March 2024, the U.S. Border Patrol recorded 137,480 encounters between ports of entry along the southwest border.  In March, encounters between ports of entry along the southwest border were 45% lower than in December 2023 and 16% lower than March 2023.

CBP had a total of 189,372 encounters along the southwest border in March 2024, including U.S. Border Patrol encounters between ports of entry, as well as individuals who presented themselves at ports of entry (including those with CBP One™ appointments, detailed further below).

CBP continually analyzes and responds to changes in migration patterns, particularly irregular migration outside of lawful pathways and border crossings. We work with our federal and international partners to combat human smuggling. The fact remains: the United States continues to enforce immigration law, and those without a legal basis to remain will be removed. Migrants attempting to enter without authorization are subject to removal under Title 8 authorities.

The U.S. Border Patrol has undertaken significant efforts in recent years to expand capacity to aid and rescue individuals in distress. To prevent the loss of life, CBP initiated a Missing Migrant Program in 2017 that locates noncitizens reported missing, rescues individuals in distress, and reunifies decedents’ remains with their families in the border region. In March, the U.S. Border Patrol conducted 439 rescues, a 77% increase from January 2024. This brings the FY 2024 total rescues to 2,488 . 

View more migration statistics and rescues statistics .  

CBP One™ App   

The CBP One™ mobile application remains a key component of DHS’s efforts to incentivize noncitizens to use lawful, safe, humane, and orderly pathways and processes. Generally, noncitizens who cross between the ports of entry or who present themselves at a port of entry without making a CBP One™ appointment are subject to the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule. This rule presumes asylum ineligibility for those who fail to use lawful processes, with certain exceptions. DHS encourages migrants to utilize lawful processes, rather than having migrants take the dangerous journey to cross unlawfully between the ports of entry, which also carries consequences under Title 8.

The CBP One™ app allows noncitizens throughout central or northern Mexico who lack documents sufficient for admission to the United States to schedule an appointment and remain in place until presenting at a preferred port of entry for their appointment, reducing migrants’ need to crowd into immediate border areas. Use of the CBP One™ app to schedule appointments at ports of entry has increased CBP’s capacity to process migrants more efficiently and orderly while cutting out unscrupulous smugglers who endanger and profit from vulnerable migrants.

In March, CBP processed 44,000 individuals through appointments at ports of entry utilizing advanced information submitted in CBP One™. Since the appointment scheduling function in CBP One™ was introduced in January 2023 through the end of March 2024, more than 547,000 individuals have successfully scheduled appointments to present at ports of entry using CBP One™ instead of risking their lives in the hands of smugglers. The top nationalities who have been processed are Venezuelan, Haitian, and Mexican.

A percentage of daily available appointments are allocated to the earliest registered CBP One™ profiles, so noncitizens who have been trying to obtain appointments for the longest time are prioritized. CBP is continually monitoring and evaluating the application to ensure its functionality and guard against bad actors. 

CHNV Parole Processes

On January 5, 2023, DHS announced processes providing certain Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, who have a supporter in the United States, undergo and clear robust security vetting, and meet other eligibility criteria, to come to the United States in a safe, orderly, and lawful way. These processes were built on the success of the process for Venezuelans established in October 2022; they are publicly available online, and DHS has been providing regular updates on their use to the public. This is part of the Administration’s strategy to combine expanded lawful pathways with stronger consequences to reduce irregular migration and have kept hundreds of thousands of people from migrating irregularly.

Through the end of March 2024, 404,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans arrived lawfully on commercial flights and were granted parole under these processes. Specifically, 86,000 Cubans, 168,000 Haitians, 77,000 Nicaraguans, 102,000 Venezuelans were vetted and authorized for travel; and 84,000 Cubans, 154,000 Haitians, 69,000 Nicaraguans, and 95,000 Venezuelans arrived lawfully and were granted parole.

Safeguarding Communities by Interdicting Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs

As the largest law enforcement agency in the United States, CBP is uniquely positioned to detect, identify, and seize illicit drugs before they enter our communities. CBP’s combination of interdiction and intelligence capabilities, complemented by its border search authorities, scientific services, non-intrusive inspection equipment, and canine detection teams, places it at the forefront of the U.S. government’s efforts to combat illicit fentanyl and other dangerous drugs.

CBP continues to conduct operations, including Operation Apollo, which target the smuggling of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. These operations leverage intelligence and investigative information to target drug traffickers’ supply chains and interdict items required in the production of illicit fentanyl, including precursor chemicals, pill presses and parts, movement of finished product, and illicit proceeds.

Nationwide in March, fentanyl seizures increased by 16.1% compared to February and heroin seizures by 19.6% .

To date in FY 2024 through the end of March, CBP has seized 10,026 pounds of fentanyl. CBP has stopped more fentanyl in the last two years than in the previous five years combined, and we continue to optimize our intelligence and field operations to stop these deadly substances from reaching American communities. 

Additional CBP drug seizure statistics can be found on the Drug Seizure Statistics webpage .

Facilitating Lawful Trade and Travel 

 As international travel continues to increase, CBP is leveraging technology to streamline efficiency and increase security at air and land ports of entry. Travelers are encouraged to utilize CBP’s mobile apps to enhance their travel experience, including the Global Entry Mobile Application and Mobile Passport Control , as well as new Global Entry Touchless Portals at nearly all international airports across the United States, which protect passenger privacy and expedite arrival processing by eliminating paper receipts.

Travelers arriving by air into the United States increased 13.9% from March 2023 to March 2024, passenger vehicles processed at ports of entry increased by 2.9% , and pedestrians arriving by land at ports of entry increased 10.8% over the same period.  

CBP works diligently with the trade community and port operators to ensure that merchandise is cleared as efficiently as possible and to strengthen international supply chains and improve border security. In March 2024, CBP processed more than 2.8 million entry summaries valued at more than $275 billion , identifying estimated duties of nearly $6.2 billion to be collected by the U.S. government. In March, trade via the ocean environment accounted for 39.67% of the total import value, followed by air, truck, and rail.

View more travel statistics , and trade statistics . 

Protecting Consumers, Eradicating Forced Labor from Supply Chains, and Promoting Economic Security     

CBP continues to lead U.S. government efforts to eliminate goods from the supply chain made with forced labor from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. In March, CBP stopped 749 shipments valued at more than $32 million for further examination based on the suspected use of forced labor.

Intellectual property rights violations continue to put America’s innovation economy at risk. Counterfeit and pirated goods threaten the competitiveness of U.S. businesses, the livelihoods of American workers, and the health and safety of consumers.

Consumers are encouraged to be alert to the dangers of counterfeit goods especially when shopping online as they support criminal activity, hurt American businesses, and often have materials or ingredients that can pose serious health and safety risks. Every year CBP seizes millions of counterfeit products worth billions of dollars had they been genuine. In March, CBP seized 1,633 shipments that contained counterfeit goods valued at more than $384 million . More information about CBP’s intellectual property rights enforcement is available at https://www.cbp.gov/trade .

CBP is on the frontline of textiles and trade agreements enforcement, combating textile imports that are not compliant with U.S. trade laws. Protecting the domestic textile industry and American consumers is vital to U.S. national security, health care, and economic priorities. Toward this end, CBP is intensifying its targeting and enforcement efforts to increase and expedite the prosecution of illegal customs practices. CBP’s efforts include de minimis compliance, forced labor enforcement, cargo compliance, regulatory audits, and public awareness. This month DHS announced an enhanced strategy to combat illicit trade and level the playing field for the American textile industry, which accounts for over 500,000 U.S. jobs and is critical for our national security. The plan details the actions CBP and Homeland Security Investigations will take to hold perpetrators accountable for customs violations, and safeguard the American textile industry.

View more UFLPA enforcement statistics , and intellectual property rights enforcement statistics. 

Defending our Nation’s Agricultural System  

 Through targeting, detection, and interception, CBP agriculture specialists work to prevent threats from entering the United States.  

CBP issued 7,105 emergency action notifications for restricted and prohibited plant and animal products entering the United States in March 2024. CBP conducted 106,410 positive passenger inspections and issued 841 civil penalties and/or violations to the traveling public for failing to declare prohibited agriculture items.   

View more agricultural enforcement statistics . 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

Read Next: Things To Do on Socotra

To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

How to Get a Decent Haircut in a Foreign Country

Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Travel Itinerary for One Week in Beijing

If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

How I Planned My Trip to Vietnam

The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

Places to Visit in Barcelona That Aren’t Beaches

First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

20 Travel Tips I’ve Learned From Travelling The World

There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

12 Stunning National Parks and Regional Parks In France

If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

How To Stop Procrastinating When Trip Planning

Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

Two Weeks In Thailand: The Perfect 14-Day Itinerary

I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

You Will Also Like: 3-Day London Itinerary

Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

How to Save Money While Traveling in Europe

The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

JOIN MY FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

Email Address *

YOU WILL ALSO LIKE

10 Dishes You Must Try When Going To Moscow

15 Fantastic and Easy Day Trips Close to Moscow

When Is the Best Time To Visit Russia

24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

My website uses cookies so that I can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to my website and helping me to understand which sections of Mind The Travel you find most interesting and useful.

You can adjust all of your cookie settings by navigating the tabs on the left hand side.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that I can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, I will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit my website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Watch CBS News

Top Cuban official says country open to more U.S. deportations, blames embargo for migrant exodus

By Camilo Montoya-Galvez

April 18, 2024 / 4:22 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Cuba's government is willing to accept more deportation flights from the U.S. of Cuban migrants, who have traveled to the southern border in record numbers over the past three years, a top Cuban official told CBS News in an exclusive interview. 

After a two-year pause, the U.S. restarted deportation flights to the island last year. Since then, the U.S. has been sending one flight with Cuban deportees to Havana each month.

But in an interview with CBS News this week, Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said Cuban officials are willing to accommodate more than one flight per month.

"We're open to having more" deportation flights, said Fernández de Cossío, who visited Washington this week to meet with Biden administration officials for the latest round of migration talks between the two countries.

Since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, the U.S. and Cuba have had a deeply contentious relationship. The Cold War-era rivals still bitterly disagree on many issues, from Cuba's human rights record and its ties to China and Russia to the decades-long American embargo on Cuban imports and exports.

But Washington and Havana have worked together on immigration, including by signing the 1994 U.S.-Cuba Migration Accords, which officials from both nations are discussing this week. The two countries' work on immigration has intensified in recent years amid the record arrival of hundreds of thousands of Cubans to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Since the start of fiscal year 2021, the U.S. has processed more than 450,000 Cuban migrants at the southern border, according to Customs and Border Protection data. The flow of Cuban migrants to the U.S. border has slowed since last year, when the Biden administration created programs that have allowed some Cubans to fly into the U.S. legally or appear at an official border crossing.

In the interview this week, Fernández de Cossío blamed the exodus from Cuba in recent years on the U.S. embargo and other American policies, including the 1960s Cuban Adjustment Act, which created a special pathway to permanent U.S. residency for certain Cuban migrants. Only Congress can change that law.

Fernández de Cossío said the U.S. is "aiming at destroying the Cuban economy" through its sanctions. He did not concede that economic mismanagement and repressive policies by Havana have also driven Cubans to flee the island, as the U.S. government has argued.  

"You can speak about other factors, but if you have a consistent policy by the most powerful economy in the world to try to destroy the livelihood of a whole population, 11 million Cubans, it is logical to expect people, a segment of the population, to want to leave the country," he said.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security assessed that "Cuba's deteriorating economic conditions and political repression continue to increasingly drive Cubans out of their country."

Fernández de Cossío also cited the lack of some legal channels for Cuban citizens to come to the U.S. for illegal crossings along the southern border by Cubans.

He urged the State Department to resume the processing of tourist and short-term visas in Havana. The Biden administration restarted immigrant visa processing in Cuba, but short-term visa seekers in Cuba still have to travel to a third country to have their cases processed. 

Fernández de Cossío said U.S. officials informed him they would resume full visa processing in Cuba in the future.

Representatives for the State Department did not respond to requests to comment on Fernández de Cossío's remarks.

Fernández de Cossío expressed some concern about additional U.S. sanctions if former President Donald Trump is elected in November. During Trump's tenure, the U.S. had a more aggressive stance towards Cuba, reversing the Obama administration's attempt to normalize relations with Havana.

"Of course we're concerned if there are additional economic measures [against] Cuba, regardless of who wins the election. The Biden administration has very faithfully applied the policies put in place by the Trump administration and added some," he said. "So we would not [be] surprised they would do it. It would be unfair, and we believe it would be immoral, but we have to acknowledge that would happen and [it] gives us room for concern."

Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics.

More from CBS News

U.N. official says Israel systematically impeding Gaza aid distribution

House speaker faces new call by another Republican to step down or face removal

O.J. Simpson was "alert and chilling" just 2 weeks before death, lawyer says

Latest version of House TikTok bill gets crucial support in Senate