• Luxury condo buyers are forgoing flashy amenities in favor of "well-being" amenities.
• The trend is part of the rise in discreet wealth as a status symbol: Wealthy people are spending money on investments like health and wellness over materialistic goods.
• However, some flashy amenities still have an appeal for some buyers, and luxury developers aren't ignoring other enticements.

Fancy gimmicks may be working to sell some luxury apartments — but they're not for everyone.

According to Mansion Global's 2019 Year Ahead report, more high-end condo buyers are forgoing flashy amenities like car-carrying elevators in favor of ones that promote serenity.

"'Well-being' is the mantra in amenities right now," the report states.

Consider boutique Los Angeles condominium 1030 Kings, which has an outdoor yoga deck, and One Manhattan Square, which is set to open in early 2019 and will boast one of Manhattan's biggest private parks. Similarly, 2000 Ocean in Hallandale Beach, Florida, offers a tranquility garden with lemon trees, and Arbor18 in Brooklyn boasts not only a zen garden but also an infrared sauna with built-in chromotherapy.

Meanwhile, Business Insider's Katie Warren recently toured 15 Hudson Yards, an 88-story superluxury tower in NYC that devotes 44,000 square feet on the 50th and 51st floors to amenities, including a fitness center, a 75-foot pool, a yoga studio and a private spa.

Read more: There are 2 major surprises in today's luxury real-estate market, according to a developer who's designed multimillion-dollar New York City penthouses

The trend is part of a movement toward inconspicuous consumption. Discreet wealth has become the new status symbol as elite consumers eschew symbols of materialism like logo handbags in lieu of intangible investments, with a focus on health and wellness in particular.

"People are very much focused on, as they have been, gym-related things — things that are good for the body," David Bistricer, founder of real estate developer Clipper Equity, told Mansion Global. "What we're seeing now is the mind — mental health — and taking time off from all the different things that are capturing our attention and competing."

However, the rise in mindfulness doesn't mean that luxury real-estate developers are ignoring other amenities, like private HD theaters and rooftop drone landing pads, according to the report. Some flashy amenities still remain. Consider the $85 million Hell's Kitchen condo, which comes with tickets to outer space and a couple of Rolls-Royces or the Miami luxury building providing its residents with Tesla-driving chauffeurs.

SEE ALSO: Forget shiny Rolexes and Louis Vuitton handbags — rich people are investing more in education and health, and it shows that discreet wealth is the new status symbol

DON'T MISS: A Palm Beach real-estate agent says she's surprised by the latest request from her multimillionaire clients

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A master chocolatier reveals the best chocolate for your mind and body

Personal Finance Insider writes about stuff that can help you make smart decisions with your money. We receive a small commission for certain products or services, but our reporting and recommendations are independent and never influenced by our partners.

• There are currently great deals available from many US cities to Tehran, Iran. Flights start at $677 round trip.
• Iran is an incredible travel destination.
• If you'll be traveling on a US passport, keep in mind that you'll have to get a visa ahead of time and book a tour with a registered travel company.
• These fares won't last long — they could disappear any minute — so read on to find out what you need to know before you book!

There are some great deals available from some US cities to Tehran, Iran, right now. If you've been thinking about traveling to Iran this year, these are probably the best prices you're going to see! Book quickly, though — we don't expect this flight deal to last more than 24 hours, if that.

Iran doesn't make the top of the list for many people's vacation destinations, but it truly is a beautiful and fascinating country full of some of the friendliest people I have ever met. Even though the country gets a bad rap in Western media, you'll find yourself feeling safe and welcome as a tourist, and you'll see some incredible sights like Shiraz's pink mosque and Persepolis. You can take a look at this video from my 2017 trip to get a sense of what it's like there.

SEE ALSO: American vs. Delta vs. United — we compared the 3 most popular airline credit cards and named a winner

Join the conversation about this story »

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• The pre-tax money you contribute to your FSA must be used on eligible healthcare products and services.
• FSA dollars work on a "use it or lose it" provision. If you don't use your FSA money by December 31 of each year (or March 15 of the new year for many), you lose it. 
• If you have money in your FSA account that you don't want to go to waste, you can use it on household essentials like contact solution, sunscreen, lip balm, Band-Aids, condoms, first aid kits, Motrin, allergy medications, and more. 
• FSAstore.com is full of over 4,000 products guaranteed to be covered by your FSA Card. Below, we rounded up 28 essentials to save on that you may already be buying out of pocket.
• From now through March 31, use our code " BINSIDER25" to get $25 off orders of $250 or more. Get $50 off orders of $375 or more with the code "BINSIDER50" or $70 off $500 purchases with the code "BINSIDER70" at checkout.

In case you hadn't already heard, the pre-tax money you contribute to your FSA works on a use-it-or-lose-it provision, and you have to use it by December 31 of each year (or March 15 of the new year for many) — or it disappears.

Every year, more than $400 million of earned money is forfeited because employees either miss or forget the deadline.

But that shouldn't really be the case, because you can use your FSA money on household staples as mundane as ibuprofen and Band-Aids, and options like online shopping at the FSA Store make it easy to spend that money on things you'd otherwise already be buying. In fact, the FSA Store has over 4,000 items that are guaranteed to be covered by your FSA (or you get your money back), so you don't have to waste time researching just to use your own money. It includes items as basic — and timelessly useful — as sunscreen, pain and allergy relief, first aid kits, thermometers, neck pillows, knee braces, and condoms. 

Thanks to a partnership with Phil, Inc. you can also use your FSA to save on your prescription medications. You can order them online and get free delivery to your door on prescription transfers and refills. Read more here. 

Shop by FSA-approved category on your own here:

• Personal care
• Baby and mom
• Home medical
• Everyday health
• OTC medications
• Pharmacy
• Sales and special deals

The deadline is fast-approaching, so I've rounded up 28 options on the FSA store that could be a good investment with your FSA money — and which you may not have known were eligible before.

Below are 28 helpful household items you can buy with your FSA money:

A variety pack of Band-Aids

BAND-AID Adhesive Bandages Variety Pack, 120-Count, $12.99

A variety pack with 120 of the all-star Band-Aid styles — from Sport Strip to Water Block Plus. 

Supergoop! lip balm

Supergoop! AcaiFusion Lip Balm SPF 30, $9.50

Supergoop! is a cult-favorite in sun protection, and their lip balm has SPF 30, acai super-berry, and shea butter to moisturize. 

A variety pack of condoms

Trojan's pack comes with most of its best-selling condoms, all of which are electronically tested to ensure reliability. Shop all condom options here.

• Wegmans, Amazon, and Patagonia are all wildly popular companies in the US.
• They all appeared on The Harris Poll's 2019 ranking of the companies with the best reputations.
• The rankings were based on factors like emotional appeal, vision, and social responsibility.

Wegmans, Amazon, and Patagonia are well-liked companies.

That's what the Harris Poll and Axios discovered in their ranking of companies with the best reputations among American consumers.

First, The Harris Poll surveyed 18,228 American adults to rank which companies are the most "visible" to the public. The top 100 most visible companies were then assigned reputation quotients based on 6,118 adult participants' perceptions of each brand's social responsibility, vision and leadership, financial performance, products and services, emotional appeal, and workplace environment.

Read more: Chick-fil-A, Amazon, Tesla, and Wegmans top the list of most-liked companies — employees explain why they have such a cult following

According to The Harris Poll, a score of 80 and above indicates an "excellent" reputation, while scores of 75 to 79 indicate a "very good" reputation.

To determine what's working for these brands, Business Insider compiled statements from current and former employees at these popular companies made on Quora and Glassdoor.

Do you work at any of these companies? Email acain@businessinsider.

SEE ALSO: Target employees shared 4 of their worst horror stories — and it will make you appreciate how hard their job is

DON'T MISS: 17 insider facts about shopping at Costco only employees know

SEE ALSO: Disney cast members share their 9 best tips for getting the most out of your visit

An employee at The Kraft Heinz Company said the company invests in people

Reputation quotient: 79

A Kraft Heinz Company employee of 20 years wrote on Glassdoorthat employee "... are accountable, empowered and supported by our leadership. I see how we are investing in our brands, people, and customers."

The company might be famous for brands like Heinz ketchup, Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, and Kraft cheese. But quite recently, Kraft Heinz has been working to cater to a completely different kind of consumer: organic food junkies.

Business Insider's Hayley Peterson reported that, "Kraft Heinz is appealing to emerging natural and organic brands at a time when some of these companies are feeling abandoned by Whole Foods."

Fidelity has an intense 'focus on development'

Reputation quotient: 79.1

A former senior financial representative wrote on Glassdoor that Fidelity featured an "ethical culture," "fair management, "great teamwork," and an "excellent and comprehensive benefits package" for employees.

A different Boston-based employee wrote that Fidelity had a "great company name and values" and benefitted customers with its "focus on development and promotion."

An employee said that 'making sure the customer is 100% satisfied' is key at The Home Depot

Reputation quotient: 79.1

Home Depot employee Angélic Brodie wrote on Quora that working for the home improvement company was mostly like "working at any other retail place." But she added that "everything revolves around the core values of the company and making sure the customer is 100% satisfied."

And the brand has reportedly taken steps to better the experience of shoppers in the past.

Some customers, like Boston.com's Scott Burns, decried understaffing issues at the chain in the mid-2000s. But Home Depot has since streamlined and improved its application processes, in order to ensure customers aren't dealing with stores manned by skeleton crews.

And, in a store review written for Business Insider, Jessica Tyler found that Home Depot had a lot to offer consumers.

"Home Depot's selection was astounding," she wrote. "It had all types of flooring in a huge variety of styles and patterns, and there were a few employees in each department to help."

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Tinted lip balm is a great way to add a little color to your face without drying out your lips.
• Our top pick, Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm, is an enduring classic that combines the brand’s classic hydrating formula with a shot of pigment.

Tinted lip balms are an enduring staple in my life. They’re just so easy to wear, and they barely count as makeup. You can apply a tinted balm without a stitch of additional product on your face without it looking weird. The effect is more like, “What? My lips are just naturally flushed this perfect shade of violet!”

Unlike traditional lipsticks or even lip stains, tinted balms have all the moisturizing power of clear balms, but they're dosed with a hint of pigment. Some are more intense than others, but they’re all comfortable to wear and relatively subtle, and they repair your lips instead of causing further damage.

It’s the perfect option for days when you feel chapped but still wanted to brighten up your complexion with some color.

The best formulas don’t compromise on ingredients for the sake of a look. Packed with ingredients like vitamin E, cocoa butter, and oils, our top picks are nourishing and fun to wear.

Here are the best tinted lip balms you can buy:

• Best tinted lip balm overall: Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm
• Best luxury tinted lip balm: Dior Lip Glow
• Best SPF tinted lip balm: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15
• Best buildable tinted lip balm: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm
• Best natural tinted lip balm: Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks

The best tinted lip balm overall

Why you’ll love it: Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm gives the brand’s classic balm a colorful makeover in six wearable shades.

Burt’s Bees lip balm is a beloved drugstore pick, and the tinted version is just as good as the original. It takes the classic Burt’s Bees formula and does it over in six wearable shades with standouts like Hibiscus (neutral pink) and Sweet Violet (plum).

Made with shea butter and waxes, these balms are as moisturizing as they are lovely to look at. The formula is all-natural, made without common irritants like parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and petroleum and packaged with recycled materials. One swipe gives you a wash of natural color and a slightly glossy, non-shimmery finish.

Shoppers and beauty editors alike adore the Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm. The product has a 4.4 rating on Ulta based on 1,290 reviews and has been featured in Allure, Vogue UK, InStyle, and Rank and Style.

With an under-$5 price tag, you might as well collect ‘em all.

Pros: Affordable, all-natural, six shades

Cons:None

Buy Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm at Ulta for $4.99

The best luxury tinted lip balm

Why you’ll love it: The Dior Lip Glow is a color-adjusting balm that's available in a variety of shades and finishes.

I don’t blame you for being skeptical of luxury makeup brands, especially when they sell staples you could buy for less than $10 at the drugstore at exorbitant prices, but the Dior Lip Glow really is something special.

The formula is color-adjusting, so the shades acclimate to different skin tones and look incredible and natural on everyone. While the original Pink Glow remains the fan-favorite, there are now a total of seven shades and two finishes (satin and shimmer) available.

Editors at Allure, Stylecaster, Vogue UK, InStyle, and Rank and Style recommend Dior Lip Glow and it has a 4.5-star rating at Sephora based on 4,641 reviews.

“I am almost done with my first tube and I must say, I need to have this stuff. When I am in a hurry, I can put this on and it gives me all the color I need. I love that it adjusts to your skin tone,” writes one reviewer.

Pros: Color adjusts to suit skin tone, adds natural flush, available in two finishes

Cons: Expensive

Buy Dior Lip Glow at Sephora for $34

The best SPF tinted lip balm

Why you’ll love it: The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment gives your pout a healthy dose of sun protection and long-lasting moisture in a huge array of color options.

The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatmentis one of the most popular tinted balms on the market, and with good reason. Not only do these delightful little tubes come in a ton of shades and pack a hydrating punch, they also include sun protection for your lips.

The formula comes in 14 colors, including an untinted version, each one containing sugar, hydrating oils, and SPF 15. Some of the shades, like Sugar Berry Tinted, are more intense than your average tint. You can go ahead and replace your entire lip collection with these.

Shoppers give the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment 4.5 stars based on 9,047 reviews at Sephora and it has been featured by Rank and Style, Into the Gloss, The Strategist, InStyle, and Vogue UK.

One word of caution — I once had one of these thoroughly melt in my non-air conditioned bedroom, so store them somewhere cool during the summer.

Pros: 14 colors, untinted option, SPF 15

Cons: melt easily in hot weather

Buy the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 at Sephora for $24

• Dollar Tree announced Wednesday that it is closing as many as 390 Family Dollar stores in 2019. This follows 85 closings during the fourth quarter of 2018.
• Analysts say Family Dollar has been a drag on Dollar Tree's earnings and "remains the weaker part of the business."

Dollar Tree announced early Wednesday morning during its fourth-quarter earnings results that it will be closing as many as 390 of its Family Dollar stores in 2019 and remodeling 200 locations to become Dollar Tree stores. This follows on from 85 store closings at the chain during the fourth quarter of 2018.  

It has been three years since Dollar Tree bought Family Dollar, and analysts say that so far, it's been a disappointing run.

The discount chain, which has more than 8,000 stores in the United States, has pulled down its parent company's earnings over the past few years. In its most recent results, same-store sales at Dollar Tree only were up 3.2%. Family Dollar saw a more modest increase of 1.4%. 

Family Dollar "remains the weaker part of the business," Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, said in a note to clients in November. 

He continued: "From our data, a high proportion of Family Dollar's shopper base goes there out of necessity rather than because they particularly want to. There is nothing wrong with this position, but it does mean that as financial conditions improve, or people feel they can afford something better, they are more likely to migrate away."

Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in 2015, after undergoing a bidding war with Dollar General, its main US rival. Dollar Tree and Dollar General are almost neck-and-neck in terms of store count and annual sales. 

Read more:We visited Family Dollar, the store that analysts say is becoming Dollar Tree's biggest problem. Here's what we found.

The bidding war may have distracted Dollar Tree and led them to "gloss over some of the glaring problems at [Family Dollar]," Credit Suisse analysts wrote in June.

"Family Dollar clearly preferred Dollar Tree as the acquirer (since the Family Dollar name was more likely to survive), and Dollar Tree likely wanted to prevent Dollar General from nearly doubling its size overnight," the analysts wrote.

SEE ALSO: We shopped at Dollar Tree and Dollar General to see which offered a better experience, and the winner was obvious

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: McDonald's just added 'Donut Sticks' to its breakfast menu — here's our verdict

• Bernard Arnault just became the third-richest person in the world, surpassing Warren Buffett, Bloomberg reported.
• The 70-year-old French businessman is worth an estimated $83.1 billion.
• Arnault is chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world's largest maker of luxury goods that brought in nearly $53 billion in revenue in 2018.
• Four of Arnault's five children work at LVMH brands that include Louis Vuitton, Rimowa, Berluti, and TAG Heuer. 

French businessman Bernard Arnault, the richest person in Europe, just overtook Warren Buffett to be the third-richest person in the world, Bloomberg reported.

Arnault is worth an estimated $83.1 billion and Buffett is worth $83 billion, according to Bloomberg. Arnault surpassed Buffett by about $100 million on Tuesday.

Arnault is the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, known as LVMH, the world's largest maker of luxury goods, making him the richest person in the fashion industry. LVMH, which recorded more than $53 billion in revenue in 2018, is made up of 70 companies including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Dom Perignon Champagne, TAG Heuer, and Rimowa.

Arnault's wealth is now exceeded only by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.

In contrast to Bloomberg's update yesterday, Forbes' annual Billionaires' List released earlier that day estimates Arnault's total net worth to be $76 billion.

Read more: Meet the Wertheimers, the secretive French brothers worth $42 billion who control Chanel, own vineyards in France and Napa Valley, and breed racehorses

Four of Arnault's five children are part of the LVMH empire. His daughter, Delphine, is the executive vice president at Louis Vuitton and apparent heiress to LVMH. 

Arnault, who lives in Paris and has a vacation home on the French Riviera, attended one of the most prestigious engineering schools in France and was named CEO of luxury goods holding company, Financiere Agache, in 1984, according to Bloomberg.

Here's a look at Arnault's career, life, and family.

SEE ALSO: Meet the Ambanis, the richest family in Asia, who live in a $1 billion skyscraper and mingle with royals, politicians, and Bollywood stars

DON'T MISS: A day in the life of a Deutsche Bank managing director, who wakes up at 5:00 a.m., spends 10 days of the month traveling, and works out twice a day even while on business trips

Bernard Arnault is the richest person in Europe, worth an estimated $83.1 billion. On March 5, he surpassed Warren Buffett to become the third-richest person in the world.

Source: Bloomberg

The 70-year-old French businessman is the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, known as LVMH, a position he's held since 1989. LVMH is the world's largest maker of luxury goods.

Source: Bloomberg

The business is a family affair; four of Arnault's five children hold positions at LVMH brands.

Source: Bloomberg

• McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich — the first new non-hamburger item added to the fast food giant's menu — went nationwide in 1965.
• It was the brainchild of Cincinnati-based McDonald's franchise owner Lou Groen.
• Groen came up with the idea when he discovered that the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays was hurting his business.
• At first, McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc hated the idea of "stinking up" the restaurant with fish.
• He reconsidered when the Filet-O-Fish trounced Kroc's "Hula Burger" sandwich in a head-to-head contest.

Believe it or not, the Filet-O-Fish almost missed the menu.

Nowadays, the sandwich is iconic, and responsible for a whole bunch of piscine imitators. Business Insider's Mary Hanbury reported that the Filet-O-Fish is a massive hit during Lent, when many Catholics fast and abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

It's one of President Donald Trump's favorites, too. He's known to put away two of the fish sandwiches at a time, along with two Big Macs and a large chocolate shake.

But the sandwich's enduring success contrasts with its floundering start. Former McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc initially thought that he had bigger fish to fry when Cincinnati franchise owner Lou Groen first proposed the idea in 1962. 

Here's a look at the early history of the Filet-O-Fish, which owes its briny existence to Cincinnati-based Roman Catholics and the fact that most people don't find pineapple-and-cheese sandwiches all that appealing:

SEE ALSO: Underdog McDonald's is defying ridicule to become the ultimate fast-food burger chain

After seeing a McDonald's ad in a magazine, Groen opened his first golden-arched restaurant in Cincinnati in 1959. He also purchased the franchise rights for the city and northern Kentucky.

Source: Business Insider, "Historic Restaurants of Cincinnati: The Queen City's Tasty History"

McDonald's was far from the only burger joint on the block in those days, and the market was crowded and competitive.

Source: Business Insider, "Historic Restaurants of Cincinnati: The Queen City's Tasty History"

Before the Second Vatican Council took place in the mid-1960s, Roman Catholics were supposed to abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

Source: The Catholic Telegraph, The List Show TV, The Baltimore Sun

• I moved from Connecticut to San Francisco more than 30 years ago.
• I was surprised by several things about living in San Francisco, like the chilly summers and people's shyness about crossing the street.
• I'm still not used to all the cultural differences between the East Coast and the West Coast.

I visited California just once before I moved from the East Coast in 1987.

It was December, and I was delighted by how much warmer San Francisco was than my home in Connecticut. So I reasoned it would be really hot when I moved west in August.

More than 30 years later, I realize I was completely wrong about that and plenty of my other assumptions about the West Coast. I love living in California, but my first couple of years required some adjustment.

Here are the things that surprised me the most about San Francisco.

SEE ALSO: I've lived in the Bay Area for 30 years, and I'm convinced that tech companies have ruined it

DON'T MISS: 6 things people who are good with money always splurge on

It was easier to be a beach bum in New England.

I spent my last year in New Haven scheduling work around peak beach times. I put lemon juice in my hair to bleach it in the sun and lathered myself with baby oil for maximum tanning. I loved everything about the beach: the crust of sand on my feet, the salt left on my skin after swimming in Long Island Sound.

San Francisco, I assumed, would be my beach paradise. I would frolic in the surf and get a year-round tan.

What I didn't know is that the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco is not at all peaceful. Sleeper or sneaker waves drag unsuspecting waders away from shore. Even on calm days, the water is too cold for all but the heartiest to swim in.

On top of that, the beach is often cold and windy. Sitting on the beach doing the Sunday crossword and watching the waves crash on the shore sounds romantic. But I've spent more beach Sundays huddled under a blanket, the cold wind blowing sand into my teeth. This is not how I pictured beach life in California.

Sunny California is somewhere south of San Francisco.

Before I left New England, I sold my warm polypropylene long underwear. I have regretted that ever since.

Though San Francisco rarely freezes in the winter, the dank cold seeps into your bones. That’s especially true if you live in a Victorian flat with loose windows, no insulation, and very little heat.

Summer, it turns out, it not much warmer. I moved west with my lightweight summer clothes. Within a week, I called my old roommate and asked her to send my winter wardrobe because I was freezing.

The warmest month in San Francisco is October, where it can occasionally reach 100 degrees. But summer weather is more often foggy and cool.

I'm acclimated now. I complain if the thermometer goes below 65 or above 80. But when I moved west, I found a climate that was different from the rest of the country in ways I couldn't have imagined.

Winter is beautiful. Summer is brown.

During a childhood on the East Coast, I got enough of the snow and cold for a lifetime. Spring is my favorite season, because it means the end of winter.

In San Francisco, to my delight, spring comes early. By February, the winter rains have brought lush greenery and gorgeous blooms to the city's hills and valleys. The days are still short, and the weather can be bleak, but a riot of color brightens winter in the Bay Area.

Summer, on the other hand, is a season of brown, dried grass. It rarely rains, and living things shrivel and dry up. Summer in the Bay Area is nothing like the lush, green of East Coast summers. On the positive side, the Bay Area doesn't suffer through the biting bugs that come with warm weather.

• Through recent mergers, airlines such as American, Delta, and United have grown to become colossal mega-carriers.
• Recently, aviation data firm OAG provided us with data sets that ranked the 20 largest airlines in the world based on the number of seats each carrier made available to passengers during 2018.
• As expected, US carriers made a strong showing with American, Delta, United, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines all in the top 20. 
• Low-cost carriers Ryanair, EasyJet, and IndiGo all placed in the top 20.
• Other international carriers to make the list include Emirates, Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, ANA, LATAM, British Airways, Air France, Air Canada, and Aeroflot. 

Over the past century, the airline industry has changed the way humans travel. It has effectively made the world a smaller place — making it possible for billions of people everywhere to explore the world. 

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), consumers spent an estimated $871 billion or roughly 1% of the global GDP on air travel. 

The trade group, whose membership is made up of 290 airlines, expects the total number of airline passengers around the world to reach 8.2 billion people by 2037— that's double today's passenger count. 

As a result of the industry's growth, many of the world's airlines have become household names. Through recent mergers, American, Delta, United, and Southwest have grown to become colossal mega-carriers. 

Read more: The 11 longest flights in the world, ranked.

This got us at Business Insider thinking about how they stack up against the world's largest airlines. 

Fortunately, good folks at OAG were able to provide us the data sets that answered our question. 

The London-based aviation data and intelligence firm ranked the world's airlines based on the total number of seats each carrier made available to customers during 2018. OAG also included the total number of aircraft in each airline fleet.

Some airlines on the list are able to offer substantially more seats while operating fewer aircraft.

According to OAG senior analyst John Grant, the reason for this variation is due to the differences in the planes that comprise a carrier's fleet and the seat configurations of each aircraft. As a result, airlines that operate larger aircraft and aircraft with higher seat density will be able to make more seats available to customers.

Here's a closer look at the 20 biggest airlines in the world: 

SEE ALSO: We flew on Honda's new $5.25 million private jet. Here are its coolest features.

FOLLOW US: On Facebook for more car and transportation content!

20. Alaska Airlines

Capacity: 54,574,295 seats. 

Fleet size: 233 aircraft.

19. Aeroflot Russian Airlines

Capacity: 56,260,035 seats.

Fleet size: 253 aircraft. 

18. Air France

Capacity: 58,888,616 seats.

Fleet size: 206 aircraft.

• Costco membership can go to some people's heads, according to workers.
• Business Insider reached out to 49 Costco employees to find out what they wish they could tell shoppers but can't.
• Common requests were to control your kids, hang up your phone, and help unload the cart.

Costco membership comes with some obvious perks — namely, access to the retail chain and its food court.

But according to dozens of Costco workers who spoke with Business Insider, being a member doesn't entitle you to do whatever you want.

While Costco made Glassdoor's list of best places to work in 2017, employees still had several complaints about shoppers' rude and inconvenient behavior.

Business Insider spoke to 49 Costco employees about the things they want to tell members but can't. Some of their responses focused on obvious problems, like members being mean and inconsiderate. But some of the tips were more instructive.

Here's what they had to say.

SEE ALSO: 8 Costco food court menu items employees swear by

DON'T MISS: Costco employees share the 7 best parts of working at the retail chain with a cult-like following

SEE ALSO: Costco employees pick the 11 most surprising items the wholesale retailer sells

Have your membership card ready at the door

"Concentrate on handing me your membership card instead of telling me a story," a Costco employee in Minnesota told Business Insider. "I can listen to your story as I do whatever you need me to do, but I can't do that until I have your membership card."

Don't trash the warehouse

A Costco employee from Arizona told Business Insider that they wanted to tell members to stop leaving "sample cups all over the floor." "Don't be rude," the employee said. "Clean after yourself."

Put back items you've picked up

"Please put back that item that you just threw there," a Costco worker from California told Business Insider. "It doesn't belong there."

Eight other Costco employees also told Business Insider that they judged members who left products strewn about the store.

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Nécessaire is a new skin-care startup that focuses on the body instead of the face. 
• Its clean body-care products are formulated with non-toxic ingredients, vitamins, and plant-based oils to nourish and tone your skin. 
• We tried Nécessaire's subtly scented, gentle Body Wash ($25) and thick, fast-absorbing Body Lotion ($25) to figure out what our bodies have been missing out on. 

A revolution to strip down and pare back is taking over the way we live, from the clothes we wear to the skin-care products we use.

This "less is more" movement, led by startups like Everlane and Cuyana, isn't just a passing aesthetic trend. Look beyond the minimalist designs and you'll find the increasing desire to treat our bodies and our surrounding world better, through cleaner ingredients and sustainable, environmentally friendly materials. 

In personal care, clean beauty and skin-care products often focus on the face and neglect the rest of your body. A new startup founded in 2018, called Nécessaire, wants to refocus attention on everything below the neck, with body-care products like body wash and body lotion. 

Nécessaire is founded by Randi Christiansen, a former Estée Lauder vice president, and Nick Axelrod, a co-founder of Into the Gloss, the editorial site out of which beauty brand Glossier was born. As veterans of the beauty world, they noticed that body care always felt like an afterthought rather than a priority and believed they could redefine the body-care category. 

Christiansen says, "We were inspired by [the idea of] creating personal care in a better way using only clean and effective ingredients, and with transparency and sustainability at our core. We named the brand Nécessaire because it is the filter by which we do everything. It has to be necessary: The ingredient. The product. The footprint." 

Nécessaire launched with three products, a body wash ($25, in sandalwood, eucalyptus, or fragrance-free scents), a body lotion ($25), and a personal lubricant ($20). They're available for purchase a la carte or in a variety of bundled kits ($55-$85).

These products are "clean" in that they're free from toxic ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicone, and more. You can view the company's full No List of restricted ingredients here. On the flip side, you can view its full Yes List of safe ingredients that it uses in its products. They're accompanied by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) rating for safety and potential for skin irritation. 

Like skin-care brand Panacea, Nécessaire is not formulated for specific skin types or genders. Simply anyone who seeks gentle, non-irritating, and effective skin-care can use its products. 

Read more: A new Korean skin-care company borne from a battle with cystic acne believes you only need 3 products to achieve clear skin

Its Body Wash and Body Lotion are unique because they're packed with vitamins, including Vitamin A, B3, C, E, and omega-6 and omega-9. The formulations are pH-balanced to support the skin's natural pH levels. 

The Body Wash gel contains plant-based cleansers and Marula, Cacay, and Meadowfoam oils, which left my skin feeling clean and soft, but not stripped of moisture. I personally like some scent in my shower gels, but don't love when they're sickly sweet or overly strong. Nécessaire's Eucalyptus and Sandalwood Body Washes were subtle and left just a trace of their refreshing scents on my skin. 

Meanwhile, the fragrance-free Body Lotion provided the perfect post-shower moisturizing ritual. Thick yet fast-absorbing and smooth without being oily, it surprised me with its balance of nourishment and practicality. I'm not usually a person who must absolutely lather her whole body in lotion after stepping out of the shower, but this Body Lotion has prompted me to become one. 

Insider Picks reporter Remi Rosmarin agreed: "This body lotion left my skin so unbelievably soft, but not greasy at all — since you don't have to worry about getting any oils on your clothes, it's perfect to use any time of day. Truthfully, I never thought I would feel so passionately about body lotion, but I can't stop using this stuff." 

The idea of using what's necessary and nothing more also extends to the product packaging, which includes 85% post-consumer waste boxes and 100% recyclable paper. The company only works with FSC-certified vendors and plans to use repurposed plastics in its future bottle packaging. 

Thanks to the industry's disproportionate emphasis on facial skin-care, better body skin-care is poised to come out of the shadows and have its own moment. We think Nécessaire will be right up front, leading the pack.

Shop the Body Wash for $25 at Nécessaire here

Shop the Body Lotion for $25 at Nécessaire here

Shop all body-care products and kits at Nécessaire here

Join the conversation about this story »

• Los Angeles will once again have a Michelin guide, nine years after the guide's director said people in LA are "not real foodies."
• The Los Angeles guide will be part of a new state-wide California guide that will include restaurants in Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Barbara, in addition to the San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country guide.
• LA briefly had its own Michelin guide launched in 2007, but it was canceled because of poor sales, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles will once again have a Michelin guide, the company announced Tuesday, nine years after the guide's then-director said people in Los Angeles are "not real foodies."

The Los Angeles guide will be part of a new state-wide California guide that will include restaurants in greater Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Barbara, in addition to the San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country guide that already exists, Michelin and Visit California announced on Tuesday. 

"With access to many of the world's best farms, food producers and vineyards, California cuisine is respected worldwide not only for the quality of its ingredients but also due to the creativity displayed by its chefs," Gwendal Poullennec, international director for the Michelin Guides, said in a press release. 

The Michelin guide's former director, Jean-Luc Naret, didn't have such kind words for California diners.

Michelin released its first Los Angeles Michelin guide in 2007, but it was canceled after just two guides because of poor sales, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Read more: 5 restaurants in NYC earned the highest Michelin rating for 2019 — and 2 of them have topped the list every year since the ranking started

Naret, the director at the time, blamed it on the people of Los Angeles.

"The people in Los Angeles are not real foodies," Naret told Esquire in 2010. "They are not too interested in eating well, but just into who goes to which restaurant and where they sit."

Michelin will announce the 2019 starred restaurants in the inaugural California Guide in the summer.

The San Francisco Michelin Guide has been published each year since 2007.

SEE ALSO: 5 restaurants in NYC earned the highest Michelin rating for 2019 — and 2 of them have topped the list every year since the ranking started

DON'T MISS: 6 London restaurants that were just given Michelin stars for the first time

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A master chocolatier reveals the best chocolate for your mind and body

Personal Finance Insider writes about products, strategies, and tips to help you make smart decisions with your money. Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network.

• Credit cards frequently offer large sign-up bonuses to try and entice new customers.
• Opening a new card and earning these bonuses is the fastest way to build your stocks of credit card rewards, hotel loyalty points, and frequent-flyer miles.
• Here are the best new-member offers of March 2019, including several limited-time deals from Delta, IHG, and Marriott.

The fastest way to earn rewards points, cash back, and frequent-flyer miles is to open a new credit card and earn its sign-up or welcome bonus.

Credit card issuers like Chase and AmEx offer huge bonuses to attract customers, while designing card features with long-term, continuing value in an effort to keep them. This offers consumers a chance to take advantage of these bonuses, perks, and features.

You can read more about earning new card-member bonuses and how that will affect your credit score here, or scroll down to find some of the best offers available this month.

Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which can far outweigh the value of any rewards.

When you're working to earn credit card rewards, it's important to practice financial discipline, like paying your balances off in full each month, making payments on time, and not spending more than you can afford to pay back. Basically, treat your credit card like a debit card.

1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

Welcome bonus: 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (after spending $5,000 in the first three months). Offer ends April 24.

Last month, Marriott wrapped up a major rebranding of its loyalty program, combining it with the Starwood Preferred Guest program to create a single entity: Marriott Bonvoy.

The various terms and benefits of the program are virtually unchanged from what took effect in August, when the two separate programs were brought under a new single set of benefits.

The biggest changes under February's rebrand came to the Bonvoy's rewards credit cards, which are issued by American Express and Chase. To mark the occasion, both are offering a big, limited-time promotion on the personal cards they issue.

AmEx issues the premium version of Marriott's credit cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, formerly called the SPG Luxury Card. Until April 24, new cardholders can earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when they spend $5,000 on the card in the first three months.

While the card has a high $450 annual fee, it's easy to get much more value from it than you pay for that fee — especially if you stay at Marriott hotels semi-frequently.

Right off the bat, the card offers up to $300 each year in statement credits for purchases at participating Marriott hotels, which can apply to room charges. That effectively brings the fee down to $150.

It also offers a free night award each year on your cardmember anniversary, which can be redeemed at any hotel that costs 50,000 points per night or under. The card also offers complimentary Gold elite status, and comes with a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership.

The card earns 6x points at Marriott hotels, 3x points at US restaurants and on flights booked directly with the airline, and 2x points on everything else.

Click here to learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card from Insider Picks' partner, The Points Guy.

2. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

Sign-up bonus: 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (after spending $5,000 in the first three months). Only available for a limited time.

Between the yearly $300 of credits, and the annual anniversary free night, the Bonvoy Brilliant card from AmEx tends to represent a better deal for cardholders.

However, the downside to that card is that you'll have to pay a $450 annual fee. Sure, you'll get the value back from the various benefits and rewards, but you'll still have to float that fee at the top of each calendar year.

For people in that camp, Chase offers the mainstream version of the personal card: the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card.

The Bonvoy Boundless currently offers the same sign-up bonus as the Bonvoy Brilliant — unlike with the Brilliant's, we don't know the Boundless offer's end date, but we do know it's only available for a limited time.

Like the Brilliant, the Boundless offers a free night award each year on your cardholder anniversary; the difference is that it's only good on rooms that would cost up to 35,000 points per night, rather than 50,000. Fortunately, that still includes plenty of properties.

The Boundless card comes with complimentary Silver elite status. Silver doesn't get you as much as Gold, but it's still something. You'll get a 10% bonus on points earned, priority for late checkout, access to a dedicated customer service line, free Wi-Fi, and more. While it's not a published benefit, you may also be given preferential rooms. You can get Gold status if you spend $35,000 or more in a calendar year. You'll also get 15 qualifying nights' worth of elite credit each calendar year, making it easier to earn Gold status or higher through hotel stays.

The card earns 6x points per dollar spent at Marriott hotels, and 2x points per dollar on everything else.

Click here to learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card from Insider Picks' partner, The Points Guy.

3. Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

Welcome offer: 75,000 Delta SkyMiles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) (after spending $3,000 in the first three months). Ends April 3.

The Delta Platinum SkyMiles card is one of my personal favorites, because even though it has a $195 annual fee, it pays for itself. The first year, you can earn a welcome bonus — right now it's 75,000 SkyMiles when you meet the spending requirement, as opposed to the normal 35,000 miles — which more than makes up for the year.

Every year after that, on your card-member anniversary, you'll get a companion pass good for a domestic round-trip flight in economy (or "Main Cabin" as Delta calls it). The companion pass is essentially a "buy-one-get-one-free" certificate. When you book an economy-class flight for yourself anywhere within the continental US, you can get a second flight for free, other than minimal taxes and fees.

For me, the value of the pass at least cancels out the annual fee, and in some cases offers enough value to mean I'm making a profit. Although I've heard from a few readers before that they felt the companion pass' terms were too restrictive, I respectfully disagree (for what it's worth, I live near a Delta hub). For instance, last year I used my companion pass to book a flight for my wife and I to pick up our new puppy — the tickets were about $225 each, and when I redeemed the pass, we only had to pay $24 of taxes and fees for her ticket.

The card also offers plenty of perks for Delta flyers, including one free checked bag for each person on the cardholder's reservation; priority boarding so that you can settle in sooner and snag space in the overhead compartments; discounted access to Delta Sky Club lounges; a 20% discount in the form of a statement credit on Delta in-flight purchases; and no foreign-transaction fees.

If you aren't interested in the companion pass, you can also consider the Gold version of the card (the Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express). The card offers similar benefits, except for the companion pass, and only has a $95 annual fee that is waived the first year. Its limited-time welcome offer is 60,000 SkyMiles when you spend $2,000 in three months — also ending April 3.

You can read more about the limited-time offers and the differences between the two cards here. Even if you've had one of them before, you can still get the bonus on the other one.

The welcome offers on these two cards are tied for the highest-ever made publicly available, in terms of SkyMiles. 

Click here to learn more about the Gold Delta Amex card from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy

Click here to learn more about the Platinum Delta Amex card from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy

4. IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

Sign-up bonus: Up to 120,000 points (80,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months; an additional 40,000 points after spending a total of $5,000 in the first six months).

IHG is the parent company of a handful of hotel chains, including Holiday Inn. The company has more than 5,600 properties around the world, making it the second-largest hotel brand, behind Marriott. IHG has a wide range of properties from budget options like the Holiday Inn Express, to luxurious Regent and InterContinental hotels and resorts. 

IHG's Rewards Club program is often overlooked— I know I'm guilty of passing it over without a second look in favor of Hilton Honors or Marriott Bonvoy (and back in the day, Starwood Preferred Guest).

However, the program is worth a second look, and a newly increased sign-up bonus on its primary credit card offers a perfect opportunity.

Right now, the IHG Rewards Club Premier card has a sign-up bonus of up to 120,000 points that is broken up into two parts. First, you'll earn 80,000 points if you spend $2,000 in the first three months. Then, you'll earn the remaining 40,000 points when you spend an additional $3,000 within the first six months (for a total of $5,000).

Rooms can cost as little at 10,000 points per night, depending on the property and its location within a city. The bonus is enough to cover almost two weeks' worth of nights at a Holiday Inn Express — even some in prime markets — or two to four nights at top InterContinental locations.

The card earns 10x points per dollar spent at IHG hotels and 2x points per spent on everything else. It also comes with automatic Platinum elite status, which entitles you to a 50% bonus on points earned during a stay, complimentary room upgrades, late checkout when available, and guaranteed room availability with 72 hours' notice — helpful if you have a last-minute trip.

The Premier card offers an annual anniversary free night certificate that can be used at any category 1-7 hotel (hotels that cost 40,000 points per night or less). While that means that some of IHG's most premium locations are excluded, the certificate is still valid at a ton of locations all around the world.

For instance, I didn't have trouble finding properties in major cities like New York and Chicago during peak travel season — all charging well upward of $200 — that accept the free night certificate. That more than makes up for the card's $89 annual fee.

Click here to learn more about the IHG Rewards Club Premier from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy.

5. United Explorer Business Card

Sign-up bonus: 75,000 miles (after spending $5,000 in the first three months). Offer ends March 18.

Following a limited-time offer on their cobranded personal card, United Airlines and Chase have launched an even better promotion on their small-business card. However, there's not much time left to get the deal.

The card offers a free checked bag when you use your card to purchase your tickets, priority boarding as long as you have the open card attached to your MileagePlus account, and more.

The United Explorer Business also has two benefits that are unique among US airline credit cards in the same class. First, you'll get two complimentary one-time United Club lounge passes each year. In the lounges, you can enjoy comfortable seating, WiFi, free food and drinks, and more before your flight. Normally, one-time entry to a United Club would cost $59 if you didn't have a membership.

Second, although this is an unpublished benefit, United cardholders also get access to more saver award space than other United members — that makes it easier to find good flights when it's time to use your miles.

The card has a $95 annual fee, which is waived the first year. You'll earn 2x miles on every dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations, office supply stores, and on United purchases, and 1x mile per dollar on everything else.

Click here to learn more about the United Explorer Business Card from Insider Picks' partner, The Points Guy.

6. Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome Offer: 60,000 points (after spending $5,000 in the first three months).

The American Express Platinum card has one of the highest annual fees of any consumer credit or charge card — $550 — but as AmEx's flagship product, this premium credit card offers a tremendous amount of value to offset that fee. For example, I got more than $2,000 worth of value in my first year with the card.

The card earns Membership Rewards points, the currency in AmEx's loyalty program, which can be exchanged for statement credits or cash back, used to book travel through AmEx's travel website, or, to get the most value, transferred to any of 17 airline and three hotel transfer partners (transferable points are among the best). Travel website The Points Guy lists a valuation of 2¢ per membership rewards point; based on that, the welcome offer is worth about $1,200.

The Platinum Card earns an incredible 5x points on airfare purchased directly from the airline, and offers an airline fee credit of up to $200 each calendar year, and up to $200 in Uber credits each card member year.

It also grants the cardholder access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world, including Delta Sky Clubs and AmEx's own Centurion Lounges.

Other benefits include automatic Gold elite status in the Marriott and Hilton loyalty programs, a statement credit up to $100 to cover enrollment in Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, concierge service, access to exclusive events, and much more.

If you're an active military servicemember, you can get the AmEx Platinum Card's fee waived.

You can read our complete review of the card here.

Click here to learn more about the American Express Platinum from Insider Picks' partner, The Points Guy.

7. Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card

Welcome offer: 30,000 Go Far points (after spending $3,000 in the first three months).

This card from Wells Fargo has one of the more attractive rewards offerings you'll find from a no-annual-fee card. The current Propel card is a relaunch of an old product — Wells Fargo stopped accepting applications for the old card a year ago, before announcing the new product and reopening applications this summer.

The card earns 3x points on all travel, dining, and select streaming services (and 1x point on everything else). If that sounds familiar, it's because it's almost the same as the popular Chase Sapphire Reserve.

There are key differences between the cards. The Propel lets you redeem points for 1¢ each toward cash back, merchandise, travel, or more, while the Sapphire Reserve offers a range of more valuable redemption options — it's easy to get at least 50% more value for Chase points. Plus, the Sapphire Reserve offers a number of premium perks that the Propel doesn't, like airport lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit travel delay insurance, and more.

Of course, the Sapphire Reserve also comes with a $450 annual fee, while the Wells Fargo Propel doesn't have a fee. Between the new member offer, and the solid earning rate on popular spend categories, the Propel makes a decent option for those who don't travel often, or who aren't comfortable floating a large annual fee.

We named the Propel the best no-fee card of 2018.

Click here to learn more about the Wells Fargo Propel card from Insider Picks' partner, The Points Guy.

8. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Sign-up bonus: 50,000 points (after spending $4,000 in the first three months).

The Sapphire Preferred is one of the most popular all-around rewards credit cards, and it's easy to see why. This card earns 2x points per dollar spent on just about all travel and dining purchases, and 1x point on everything else. It also comes with a ton of travel and purchase protections, such as rental car insurance, trip delay coverage, and extended warranty.

The sign-up bonus — 50,000 UR points — is worth, at the very least, $500 as cash back or gift cards. However, if you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and use points to pay, you'll get a 25% bonus, making points worth 1.25 cents each. That means that the sign-up bonus would be worth $625.

Even more lucrative — the Chase Sapphire Preferred lets you transfer your UR points to a few different frequent-flyer and hotel-loyalty programs. This comes in handy because in many cases it costs fewer points to book a trip if you go through one of those programs, as opposed to using the points as cash. You can read more about why transferring points to frequent-flyer programs gets you more value here.

This all comes for a fairly standard annual fee of $95, which is waived the first year.

Click here to learn more about the Sapphire Preferred from Insider Picks' partner, The Points Guy.

9. Chase Sapphire Reserve

Sign-up bonus: 50,000 points (after spending $4,000 in the first three months).

The Sapphire Reserve is basically a beefier version of the Preferred. While the card comes with the same sign-up bonus, it earns points on everyday spending faster, nabbing a higher 3x points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases, and 1x on everything else. It also offers similar, though in many cases, enhanced travel and purchase protections.

Unlike the Preferred, the Sapphire Reserve comes with a Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you and any travel companions free access to more than 1,000 airport lounges around the world.

You can use points from the Reserve the same ways as with the Preferred, except that you'll get a 50% bonus when booking travel through Chase, making your points worth 1.5¢ each.

The card carries a higher annual fee than the Preferred: $450. However, it also comes with a $300 travel credit each card member year. Each year, you'll get statement credits for the first $300 in travel-related purchases you make, including things like subway fare, taxis, parking, and tolls, as well as airfare and hotels — naturally, you don't earn points on the purchases covered by that credit. When you subtract this credit from the annual fee, the card is effectively only $150 each year.

If you're not sure whether the Preferred or Reserve is the better card for you, take a look at this breakdown. Also keep in mind that you can typically only earn the sign-up bonus for one Sapphire-branded card every two years.

Click here to learn more about the Sapphire Reserve from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy.

SEE ALSO: American vs. Delta vs. United — we compared the 3 most popular airline credit cards and named a winner

Join the conversation about this story »

• A grocery company topped The Harris Poll's 2019 ranking of the companies with the best reputations.
• Wegmans— a grocery chain based in upstate New York — took the top spot.
• Several other well-known grocery chains also fared well in the rankings.

American shoppers have a lot of respect for Wegmans.

The Harris Poll and Axios recently put together a ranking of companies with the best reputations among consumers.

First, The Harris Poll surveyed 18,228 American adults to rank which companies are the most "visible" to the public. The top 100 most visible companies were then assigned reputation quotients based on 6,118 adult participants' perceptions of each brand's social responsibility, vision and leadership, financial performance, products and services, emotional appeal, and workplace environment.

Read more: Wegmans, Amazon, and Patagonia top the list of most liked companies — employees explain why they have such a cult following

According to Axios, a score over 70 denotes a "good reputation." Brands that were scored 75 and up possess a "very good" reputation, while companies that were scored over 80 have an "excellent" reputation with consumers. Five companies that specialize in selling groceries earned a score of at least 70 out of 100.

Here are the grocery chains with the best reputations:

SEE ALSO: The CEO of Kroger, America's largest supermarket chain, explains why the company's merger with the country's 6th-favorite grocer puts them in the perfect position to take on Amazon and Whole Foods

DON'T MISS: I visited Bónus, the Icelandic chain of discount stores with a cult following among tourists — here's what I saw

SEE ALSO: The top 25 grocery chains with the most loyal shoppers in America

Aldi

Aldi is a German supermarket chain with locations throughout the US.

2019 reputation score: 77.4

Kroger

Kroger is a US supermarket chain based in Cincinnati.

2019 reputation score: 77.9

Costco

Costco is a members-only warehouse club that's headquartered in Issaquah, Washington.

2019 reputation score: 78.6

• An aging car will usually send signals that it's time to start thinking about a new set of wheels.
• Signs range from weird noises to escalating repair expenses to outdated technology.
• While it's possible to keep a well-maintained modern car running for hundreds of thousands of miles, sometimes it makes better sense to say goodbye and start fresh.

Modern cars can, if treated well, run almost forever. Hitting 100,000 miles is nothing these days, and some motorists have rolled over a million.

That said, even well-maintained vehicles can send signals that it's time to think about buying a new car (or a new used car).

Read more: 21 cars that won't let you down and are worth splurging on.

Often, these signs are subtle — your car whispers rather than shouts. For the first few years of ownership, a new car is under warranty, and the manufacturer will repair major problems.

But once you get past 50,000 miles, unless you purchase an extended warranty, you're often on your own. That means listening to your car and studying its changes in mood.

The daily diagnostics will provide valuable clues and help you decide when it's time to say goodbye to your old car and hello to a new set of wheels.

FOLLOW US: On Facebook for more car and transportation content!

1. Weird noises or smells.

Cars aren't supposed to smell strange or make weird noises. These are telltale signs of a problem — and common with cars that are wearing out and need to be replaced.

The noises are worse. If you hear a CHUNK, any kind of grinding, or a loud rattle, not to mention old favorites such as a backfire and a coarse idle, there's a good chance that you're in for a costly repair and it might be time to get some new wheels.

2. Leaks.

Leaks aren't the end of the line, but they're often the beginning of the end. New cars don't leak. Middle-aged cars leak a little. Old cars leak a lot. When you start to see a rainbow of liquid colors on the garage floor, it's time to go to a new car dealer.

3. Smoke.

Like leaks, smoking can be repaired, but it usually indicates a serious underlying problem. The three main colors of smoke are black, gray, and white. Black isn't always a big deal, as it usually means something is dirty with the filtration system. Gray means that the car is burning oil. A lot of gray and you'll want think about a new ride. White is it the worst, as it could indicate serious engine problems such as cracked engine block or a leaking engine gasket. 

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. We receive a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• Truly wireless headphones are great, but they can sometimes fall out a little too easily, which can be annoying especially in the middle of a workout or busy commute. 
• The Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC wireless earphones ($79.99) still give you the benefits of being untethered to your phone, but also have a neckband that helps keep everything in place and give you easy access to a control panel for your sound.
• I've been wearing the earphones a lot recently, and I've found them to be a great value for the price. 

Exercising with truly wireless headphones is great. Being totally untethered lets you move freely throughout your workout, without any fears that your music will suddenly stop and ruin your flow — that is, until your little earbud falls out and flies across the rapidly moving treadmill mid-workout.

If that's ever happened to you, you know it's a nuisance. Regular wireless earbuds have a limited range of motion, so they're out of the question (at least for me). But over-the-ear wireless headphones are too clunky and can't stand up to any perspiration that comes with a training session. 

So, where do you turn for a good pair of headphones that you can use in the gym and beyond? Wireless headphones with a thin neckband are a great choice. If you're looking for a great value too, you should check out Phiaton's newest headphones. 

Phiaton is known for making premium, wearable audio devices at relatively affordable prices. The brands latest Bluetooth earphone model — the Curve BT 120 NC— is no exception. I've been wearing these headphones to lounge around, work out, and commute — and I've been pretty impressed at all of the features they offer for the $79.99 pricetag.

The design of the earphones is sleek and comfortable. They come in two neutral colorways, either all white or all black. The flexible neckband rests behind your neck and is very lightweight, so you barely even notice that it's there. You also get two sizes of ergonomic ear wings and three sizes of ear tips to make sure the buds themselves fit you just right.

On the neckband you'll also find a control panel — it's intuitive to use and also offers some pretty cool and practical features. There's the basic power on/off and volume controls, which also are used to skip, pause, or replay music. The power button can also be used to pick up, or reject, calls when you don't have time to reach for your phone. There's also a small microphone just a few inches away from the control panel, so if you do decide to take calls, you won't have to awkwardly talk into your phone.

While many headphones completely pause your music for an incoming call, the Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC earphones uses a vibration instead. If you have voice commands on your phone, you can use these headphones to make hands-free calls — you just need to press the call/power button, wait until you hear a beep tone, and then give your voice commands. 

You'll also find a small button on the side of the panel labeled "NC". This button controls the noise-cancelling aspect of the earphones. When the LED light is off, the noise-cancelling feature is also off. If you hold that button down, the LED light will turn green, and noise-cancellation will turn on. This is a useful feature, as there are some situations — like commuting on a crowded subway — when you just want to tune everything out. Other times though — like when you're walking or biking — the noise-cancelling feature can be dangerous, as it can block out important sound signals, like alarms and horns. 

One of my favorite features of these earphones is how quickly they charge. To get a full charge (8.5 hours worth of music without noise-cancelling on) the earphones need to be charged for two hours. But, if you're in rush , just five minutes of charging will hold you over for an hour. So, if you decide to go on a run on a whim, you don't need to prolong your start time due to the fact that you forgot to charge your earphones overnight. To charge, there's a small USB cable that can be plugged in just about anywhere. 

Another great feature is the IPX4 sweat and water resistance. The IPX4 rating means that these are protected from light rain and heavy perspiration. While this isn't a super-high rating, it's more than enough for running outside when it's drizzling or for a sweaty gym session. 

Then, of course, there's sound quality. I'm not a serious audiophile, but I listen to music a lot, so I won't waste time or money on bad quality sound. These sound great to me; so far everything has come out clear, rich, and balanced. For the tech specs, they use 12 mm drivers and a dual-layer carbon paper to enhance the sound. When you engage the noise-cancelling feature, you can really get lost in their sound. 

The comfortable fit, convenient and easy-to-use features, and the affordable price of just $79.99 make these a great pair of earphones. They may not be the most premium pair on the market, but for under $100, they're pretty darn good.

Get the Phiaton Curve BT 120 NC headphones, $79.99, available at Amazon

Join the conversation about this story »

• A year ago, I left New York to travel around the world as Business Insider's international correspondent. Over that time, I've visited over 20 countries, taken dozens of flights, and stayed in nearly 100 hotels.
• A lot of travel bloggers recommend Global Entry, a US government program for approving "trusted travelers" to gain quicker access through customs after international travel. It requires a $100 application fee and a screening process.
• Instead, I use Mobile Passport, a free app officially authorized by US Customs and Border Protection that lets you complete customs forms on your phone.
• Like Global Entry, Mobile Passport users have their own separate line at major US airports, getting you out of long customs lines but without the hassle of the screening process or the $100 application fee. 

Traveling for a living can be exhausting. Fortunately, I've found a variety of tools and apps that ease the drudgery of travel and make the experience more fun.

Many frequent international travelers swear by Global Entry, a US government program administered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Global Entry provides expedited customs screenings for "pre-approved, low risk" travelers entering the US after traveling abroad.

In order to get Global Entry, you have to pay a $100 application fee, submit an online application, and schedule a screening interview and fingerprinting at an enrollment center.

When returning from an international trip to a major US airport, you can check in at a designated Global Entry kiosk without filling out paperwork. From there, you can print a slip, and go through customs faster than the people waiting in processing lines.

With so much happening before I embarked on my trip around the world last March as Business Insider's international correspondent, I didn't feel like adding another hassle to my plate.

I'm glad I didn't. I haven't missed Global Entry at all thanks to a free, easy alternative I discovered that is just as fast: Mobile Passport.

Mobile Passport is a free app officially authorized by CBP that lets you upload your passport and fill out customs forms on your phone. So long as you are entering the US at one of the participating 25 airports or 3 cruise ports, you can use Mobile Passport to skip the lines sans-Global Entry.

In order to use Mobile Passport, you download the app and create a profile with your passport. When you arrive at the airport, use the app to fill out the usual customs forms and take a selfie (or better yet, do it while the plane is taxiing). When you get to the CBP checkpoint, follow the signs to the Mobile Passport line; like Global Entry, Mobile Passport has its own dedicated queue. In some airports, the lines are combined.

Either way, there is usually little or no line, because all CBP officers have to do is scan the QR code on your Mobile Passport app and, voila, you're home free. In the year I've been using the app, I've never had to wait more than a minute or two.

When I compare Mobile Passport's seamless process with the sometimes arduous screening process of Global Entry — some travelers report having to wait months for a screening appointment — and the $100 application fee, skipping Global Entry feels like a no-brainer. 

The one benefit Global Entry has over Mobile Passport is that it includes TSA Precheck, which provides expedited passage through security at many US airports. If you spend a lot of time in US airports, it could be worth it for the security line.

• More tips from Business Insider's international correspondent:
• I switched to Android after more than a decade with the iPhone, and I'm not going back. Here's why.
• I use the same trick in any city I visit to make sure I find amazing food
• Couchsurfing has a hidden feature that helped me have the wildest night in Tokyo partying until sunrise
• I found out the hard way that one of the best strategies to save money on flights can end up costing you big time
• The single best piece of advice I can give you for any trip you take
• I've traveled to more than 30 countries, and here are the dumbest mistakes I made on the road that I'll never make again

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What El Chapo is really like, according to the wife of one his closest henchman

• Forbes recently released its annual Billionaires List.
• There are 2,153 billionaires in the world — and 53 of them are millennials, defined by the Pew Research Center as those born between 1981 and 1996.
• Collectively, they have a fortune worth $235.3 billion.

There are 2,153 billionaires— worth a collective $8.7 trillion — currently roaming the world, according to Forbes' recently released annual Billionaires List. 

But for some, it didn't take decades to accumulate their wealth — 53 billionaires on the list are millennials, defined by the Pew Research Center as those born between 1981 and 1996, or those aged 23 to 38 in 2019. Collectively, they're worth $235.3 billion.

The Forbes Billionaires List determined the net worths of the world's billionaires by valuing a variety of assets, including private companies, real estate, art, and more. All net worths are current estimates as of March 5, 2019.

We narrowed that snapshot down to look at the world's richest millennials, according to the Pew Research Center's definition. Note that some billionaires aged 22 were born in the cutoff year of 1996, but have not had birthdays yet this year in which they will turn 23.

From Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to Snapchat's Evan Spiegel, scroll through to see some of the richest young people in the world.

SEE ALSO: The richest person at every age

DON'T MISS: Here are the 10 richest people in banking, hedge funds and investing

53 (TIE). Binny Bansal

Net worth: $1 billion

Age: 36

Country: India

Source of wealth: Flipkart, self-made

Position: Co-founder, Flipkart

53 (TIE). Sachin Bansal

Net worth: $1 billion

Age: 37

Country: India

Source of wealth: Flipkart, self-made

Position: Co-founder, Flipkart

53 (TIE). Ludwig Theodor Braun

Net worth: $1 billion

Age: 29

Country: Germany

Source of wealth: Medical technology

Position: Co-owner, B. Braun Melsungen

Personal Finance Insider writes about products, strategies, and tips to help you make smart decisions with your money. Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

• If you have the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, you can earn a free night certificate each year on your cardholder anniversary.
• The certificate is good for any Category 1-7 hotel within IHG's portfolio. While this excludes a few top properties, there is still a massive range of great options, from basic to luxury.
• Plus, the card has raised its sign-up bonus, so you can free nights even sooner. You'll earn 80,000 points when you spend $2,000 in the first three months, and 40,000 more points when you spend a total of $5,000 in the first six months. That's a total of 120,000 points.
• Take a look at a few of the best hotels you can stay at using the free night certificate.

Last year, hotel mega-chain IHG — the brand encompassing Holiday Inn, the InterContinental, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, and others — revamped its credit card offerings, eliminating its old card and introducing two new products instead. 

The first, the IHG Rewards Traveler, is a more "basic" card. It earns IHG rewards points on all purchases, and includes a few perks, like a free fourth night on stays booked with points, and Gold elite status if you spend $10,000 on the card in a calendar year. It's useful, but relatively low-frills — exactly what you'd expect for a card with a $29 annual fee.

The better option is the IHG Rewards Premier credit card. While it has a higher $89 annual fee, it offers much more value than that. 

Before even looking at the value of card's long-term benefits, there's the sign-up bonus to consider. You can earn up to 120,000 points when you open the card, broken into two stages.

First, you'll earn 80,000 points if you spend $2,000 in the first three months. Then, you'll earn the remaining 40,000 points when you spend an additional $3,000 within the first six months for a total of $5,000.

Then, there's the big long-term benefit. The card offers an annual anniversary free night certificate that can be used at any category 1-7 hotel (hotels that cost 40,000 points per night or less).

While that category restriction means that some of IHG's most premium locations are excluded, the certificate is still valid at a ton of locations all around the world — I had no trouble finding properties in major cities like New York and Chicago during peak travel season, all charging well upward of $200, which accept the free night certificate.

In effect, the value of the free night certificate can be way more than the card's $89 annual fee — that ultimately makes it a great way to save a ton on a hotel stay.

Take a look below at some of the best places you can stay using the free night certificate. And, if you save the points from your sign-up bonus until you have the free night certificate, you'll be able to stay for at least a total of three nights.

Click here to learn more about the IHG Rewards Premier card from Insider Picks' partner: The Points Guy.

SEE ALSO: An often-overlooked hotel credit card with a 120,000-point sign-up bonus can offer a ton of value, even for people who don't travel a lot

InterContinental Bali

This beautiful tropical resort starts at $229.50, making it an excellent use of your free night.

Click here to learn more about the InterContinental Bali.

Holiday Inn Bangkok

Located downtown and convenient to public transit, it's easy to see the sights around Bangkok when you stay here.

Click here to learn more about the Holiday Inn Bangkok.

Read more: 9 lucrative credit-card deals new cardholders can get this month — including up to 75,000 Delta SkyMiles

InterContinental Budapest

Located in the heart of the city, the InterContinental Budapest is steps from the historic Castle District and features a restaurant and bar right on the river.

Click here to learn more about the InterContinental Budapest.