“We collided with a drone back there in the turn”

This incident happened early in the morning of Monday, June 29, 2026. JetBlue flight B6948 was operated by an Airbus A321, and was just completing a redeye flight from Las Vegas (LAS) to New York (JFK). At around 7:15AM local time, while on approach to runway 13L (at around 3,000 feet, 10-12 miles out), the plane reportedly hit a drone. According to the air traffic control audio:

JetBlue pilot: “We are cleared to land 13L. Just quickly, I couldn’t talk to approach, but we collided with a drone back there in the turn.”
Air traffic controller: “You said collided?”
JetBlue pilot: “Yep, it hit us right above the cockpit.”

The plane landed without further incident, and taxied to the gate normally. After the flight, the plane was inspected, and no evidence of damage was found. The FAA is now investigating, so here’s the statement they released:

The pilot of JetBlue Airlines Flight 948 reported striking a drone at approximately 3,000 feet altitude while on final approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport around 7:15 a.m. local time on Monday, June 29. A post-flight inspection did not reveal any damage to the aircraft. The FAA will investigate. Contact the airline for more information.

If it is confirmed that a drone hit the aircraft, it would be one of the first known instances of a commercial aircraft in the United States colliding with a drone.

This is becoming an increasingly big problem for aviation

Over time, the risks that the aviation industry faces have certainly evolved. While commercial flying remains incredibly safe, we are seeing both airport close calls and drone activity present an increasingly big challenge.

It goes without saying that there are restrictions with where drones can be flown, and they’re not supposed to be operated close to major airports. The issue is, drones can be cheap to buy, and many people use them irresponsibly, not realizing how they’re potentially putting the lives of others at risk. That says nothing of people who may actually have bad intentions.

Currently, the FAA receives around 100 reports per month of drone sightings near airports, and that number keeps increasing over time — I imagine this is only the tip of the iceberg. In most situations, a small drone wouldn’t take down a commercial aircraft, though it could do some major damage, and I imagine there’s also a sequence of events where it could potentially be fatal.

Anyway, it’s going to be interesting to see how regulators handle this over time. Should there be new regulations around buying drones? Should irresponsible idiots just be jailed for a year when they fly a drone into busy airspace? Or how do you get everyone on the same page about the risk this poses?

Bottom line

A JetBlue pilot approaching JFK reported that the Airbus A321 he was piloting was hit by a drone, with the point of impact being right above the cockpit. Interestingly, an inspection didn’t reveal any damage, though the FAA is now investigating this.

The number of drone sightings near airports keeps increasing, and this poses a major challenge for the aviation industry, given the risks. There are just too many irresponsible drone users out there who don’t understand the impacts their actions could have, and that says nothing of the potential for people with bad intentions to do something like this as well.

What do you make of the increasing issue of drones around airports?

This is something we’ve seen time and time again over the years, and it sure seems to me like it should be easy enough for the hotel groups to spot and control.

How hotels fraudulently increase award reimbursement rates

I’ve written in the past about the economics of hotel points redemptions, and specifically, how hotels are paid when members redeem points. While the exact reimbursement policies differ by program, here’s the general concept:

• When a hotel isn’t full, the loyalty program compensates the hotel at a pre-determined rate that’s above the marginal cost of accommodating a guest, but hardly lucrative for the hotel
• When a hotel is full (think 95%+ occupancy, but the exact threshold varies), the loyalty program compensates the hotel at close to the average daily rate, in recognition of the fact that the room may have otherwise been sold to a guest paying with cash

In other words, if hotels have a lot of guests redeeming points, they also have a big incentive to have very high occupancy. I’m making up numbers here, but let’s use a 100-room hotel as an example, and let’s say the threshold to get higher reimbursement is 95% occupancy:

• If 20 rooms are booked with points and the hotel is at 94% occupancy, the hotel may only be reimbursed $50 per award room (so $1,000 total)
• If 20 rooms are booked with points and the hotel is at 95% occupancy, the hotel may be reimbursed $200 per award room (so $4,000 total)

As you can see, this can make a big difference in terms of economics. That brings us to an interesting Reddit post flagged by View from the Wing, where someone who claims to be a Hilton employee writes the following:

My hotel has been putting in fake reservations for the last few years during the summer months (June-August) if we are close to 95 percent occupancy but not quite there. They will ask night audit to check them in then 0 out the rate after the night audit is ran and checked them out. The purpose of these “threshold” reservations is to supposedly get Hilton to reimburse a higher amount for rooms staying on Hilton Honors points. They’ve been doing it for years is my understanding. Isn’t this fraud? Could it and should it be reported?

Occupancy “gaming” is a common hotel practice

Hotels belonging to major loyalty programs are focused on that 95% occupancy threshold (or whatever the magic number is for their hotel group), especially if they get a lot of award redemptions. There are lots of ways to legitimately increase occupancy at the last minute.

For example, maybe if a hotel is running occupancy just under 95%, they might discount rooms on the day of arrival significantly, or try to sell them through an online travel agency at a huge discount, just to get to the higher reimbursement level. That’s legitimate, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

However, what’s described above is of course fraud, and isn’t okay. It impacts the economics of the loyalty program, and also impacts members, since hotels with higher reimbursement rates will also cost a lot more when redeeming points (since redemption rates reflect costs to the program more than anything else).

Perhaps the most public version of this case goes back to 2013, when Starwood sued Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs for fraudulent award reimbursement, as the hotel was accused of receiving over $1 million in fraudulent reimbursements, by falsifying records.

Both Le Parker Meridien New York and Palm Springs ended up leaving Starwood in 2017, in part due to the bad blood over this — Parker Palm Springs remains fully independent, while the New York property turned into the Thompson.

Quite honestly, I’m surprised that the major hotel groups don’t have more sophisticated systems to investigate this. After all, it seems easy enough to figure out which hotels just barely pass the 95% occupancy threshold regularly, and then see a lot of last minute bookings with folios that show a zero dollar rate.

It’s worth mentioning that reimbursement for award stays is a point of contention between hotel owners and the larger hotel groups nowadays, given the other ways that loyalty programs are centrally being monetized. The frustration is that points are no longer just issued as a reward for hotel stays, but increasingly, they’re being sold to banks and more. The hotel loyalty programs get the upside of that, while the individual hotels are stuck accommodating guests with very low reimbursement rates a majority of the time.

Bottom line

Reimbursement for hotel award stays is an interesting topic, since the amount that hotels are reimbursed differs widely based on occupancy levels. Hotels that have a large percentage of rooms booked with points have a huge incentive to get occupancy numbers higher, so they reach the maximum reimbursement thresholds.

There are legitimate ways hotels can increase occupancy at the last minute, like lowering rates or selling some rooms through online travel agencies at a steep discount. But then there are the illegitimate ways that’s sometimes done, like checking in fake guests. One Hilton employee is claiming that this is going on at their property, and they’re wondering if they should report that to Hilton corporate.

What do you make of this hotel award reimbursement occupancy threshold, and the games some hotels play?

The thing is, it seems like these kinds of initiatives lead to disappointment almost as often as they delight, so to me it raises an interesting question — what should hotels really do for guests, and what is it reasonable to expect?

Managing expectations for hotel guest special occasions

I recently had a conversation with the general manager of a luxury hotel (which shall remain nameless), and the topic of special occasions while staying at hotels came up. He revealed to me in a non-snarky way that at his property, the average length of stay is two nights, and roughly one-third of guests let the hotel know of a special occasion.

Reading between the lines, I picked up a couple of points:

• It’s hard for hotels to manage expectations, since people expect that they’re going to get some sort of special treatment when they’re celebrating something, but when so many people are “special,” it becomes harder to deliver
• There has definitely been an increasing trend of people claiming they’re celebrating an anniversary, without actually substantiating it; I mean, there are an endless number of social media posts out there telling people that a “hack” to get something for free at a hotel is to just claim it’s a special occasion (some hotels have even started asking guests to prove special occasions)

So all of this raises the question of what hotels are really expected to deliver when a guest is celebrating a special occasion. Admittedly I think the answer should vary based on the size of the hotel, the cost of the hotel, and how special of an occasion it is. However, that still leaves a lot of questions:

• Is recognizing a special occasion about just having staff wish the guest a happy [occasion] at check-in or on a card, or something else?
• Or is the expectation that a special occasion gets you something special of monetary value, whether it’s a cake, a bottle of champagne, or something along those lines?
• Is it unreasonable for a hotel to just congratulate you on your occasion, and then send you a list of paid add-ons you can add to your rate, whether it’s a cake, a bottle of champagne, or flowers?
• To what extent does the occasion matter? Should a 50th wedding anniversary be treated differently than traveling within a week of three years of when you met your spouse?

As an introvert, my opinion is probably off base here

I’m rather introverted, so personally I hate having special occasion recognized. Like, if I want to celebrate something, that’s on me, and I don’t expect anyone else to be part of it. Heck, if we go out to dinner on my birthday, I beg Ford to not tell the restaurant what day it is. And if they sing, or something, I just want to sink into my seat and disappear. I’m weird, I know.

Of course I’ll say that I feel very differently about this topic as a father. We took our older son, Miles, to the St. Regis Kanai Resort for his third birthday last year, and they did an incredible job making it special for him. They really went above and beyond, and I was very grateful for that, because obviously that means a lot to a little kid (it was his first birthday where he really understood it was his birthday).

That being said, I had no expectations of them doing that, I would’ve gladly paid for whatever they did, and since they didn’t charge, I also tipped generously for the effort.

But still, it raises the question, what’s the right way for hotels to handle these kinds of situations? Should they offer anything extra “free” at all for special occasions? Should they offer something basic for free, and then have a variety of paid options to go the extra mile? Is the expectation that they just consistently go all out?

One reason I mention this is because I’ll often see complaints online about a negative hotel stay, and people will say “they didn’t even do anything for our special occasion,” and I guess I always wonder what the realistic expectation is. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer, I’m just curious to hear how others feel.

Bottom line

Hotels seem to be dealing with an increasing number of guests celebrating special occasions, or more accurately, an increasing number of guests claiming that they’re celebrating something. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it does pose a challenge for hotels, since people have expectations associated with that.

I’d be curious to hear what folks think about what hotels should realistically do in these situations. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer, but it does seem like something that’s posing a challenge for some hoteliers.

When you stay at a hotel over a special occasion, what do you think should realistically be offered?

Before I get into this, let me of course acknowledge that this is all a first world problem, so please don’t take this too seriously. There are obviously much bigger issues in the world.

Masseuse complains constantly about how her hands hurt

We’re currently on a big family trip to South Tyrol, which has been absolutely lovely (minus the heat wave, of course). South Tyrol is incredible in so many ways, with amazing scenery, food, wine, and people. The hotels here also have a big focus on wellness, all with expansive spas that have all kinds of facilities.

We’re currently staying at a beautiful boutique property, and the spa menu had been placed in our welcome pamphlets. Prices for spa treatments at luxury properties have gone through the roof over the years, and nowadays it’s not uncommon to see hour-long massages costing $200-300. So we were downright delighted when we saw that the 50-minute massages were going for €85, and there’s a 20% discount if you have your appointment before 2PM, bringing the cost down to €68.

Of course you can get cheaper massages on the streets of Thailand, but for a real spa in a nice hotel in Europe, that’s about as reasonable pricing as I’ve seen (especially in a culture where a 20% tip isn’t expected).

So I decided to go to the spa shortly after checking in to make appointments for the whole family. We had a very active trip up until this point, and relaxing a bit sounded nice. We booked Ford and his mom appointments the first day, I booked myself an appointment the next day, and I booked my dad an appointment for the day after that, just based on our schedules.

We all opted for the “sport & vitality massage,” described as “designed to relieve tension after sporting activities and provide maximum support for muscle regeneration.” Sounds great!

Ford was first into the lion’s den… I mean, to the spa… and as he finished, he sent me the below text.

As he described it, he asked for deep pressure at the beginning of the massage, and then the masseuse spent 50 minutes basically just rubbing his body with oil, with the lightest pressure imaginable. He quickly ran his hand over my arm to give an example of the pressure.

Ford’s mom was next (they had back-to-back massages). Of course we were very curious to hear her take, so once she was done, we asked what she thought. Her answer? “I wasn’t going to say anything, but that was the worst massage of my life.”

She explained she asked the therapist for harder pressure during the massage, and the therapist responded by holding up her hands and saying “my hands, they hurt, four months” (she didn’t speak much English, but I’d assume four months referred to how long she has been working in this role, or something… and that’s too long, I guess?).

My massage was the following morning, and by the time I got this feedback, it was within the 24 hour period where you couldn’t cancel for free. Honestly, I would’ve forced them to cancel my reservation, but at this point I figured I had to experience this for myself as well.

I actually didn’t make any requests at all (beyond the massage type I had booked), but instead, she just repeatedly proactively apologized:

• About 15 minutes into the massage, she held up her hands and just repeatedly rotated them at a 180-degree angle, while saying “my hands”
• About 30 minutes into the massage, she said “it’s okay? I’m sorry, my hands,” while again holding up her hands
• At the conclusion of the massage, she said “sorry, three massages yesterday, it hurts”

I don’t want to be a jerk, but even aside from pressure, this was genuinely the least skilled massage I’ve ever received:

• I’m not convinced she had any professional training, as there wasn’t really any technique to it
• She basically just spent 50 minutes lathering me in what must be toxic quantities of oil, because it just never stopped
• The pressure was closer to a Swedish massage than a deep tissue, but at least a Swedish massage has some sort of rhythm to it
• She couldn’t even time the massage correctly, because I ended up on my stomach for 15 minutes (so she did my legs and back), then she had me turn over, then she did my legs, then she did my upper body, and then she did my legs again, I guess because she still had too much time remaining
• And I won’t even talk about how she kept referring to Ford as my “brother,” and asking where my wife was, which didn’t actually bother me, but was just sort of the icing on the cake

For what it’s worth, this is a one person spa operation, so she was also the person working the spa reception, who then handed me the bill. At the end she asked “everything okay?” I mean, how do you even answer that, when the person apologized to you three times for their hands being tired during the treatment?

How does one even begin to address this situation?

Obviously I don’t know exactly what the therapist’s hand pain situation was, but I sympathize with her. I’ve had hand and wrist pain over the years from typing too much, and it has been a real struggle at times. I get it.

But also, if you’re going to work as a massage therapist, having hand pain that prevents you from performing the advertised spa treatments sort of seems like a deal breaker, no?

It’s awkward when the person performing the (poor) service is also the person who hands you the check and confirms everything was “okay,” despite her repeated apologies for not being able to properly massage. I should also note that this woman’s English was very limited (she didn’t speak German, but did speak Italian, which I don’t speak).

I know I’m a total pushover, but this is where I’m conflicted. I know I should report her to whoever the property manager is, and she should be sent packing for the season, or until this pain is no longer an issue. It can’t be that people are paying for services, and then each person is simply apologized to because they’re not getting the service they booked. Like if I’m having to say “oh, I’m sorry to hear that” three times during a 50-minute massage, something is seriously wrong.

At the same time, I imagine she relies on this job to make a living, so that’s where my sympathetic side kicks in. I think the hotel is largely responsible here for who they hired for the role, because I can’t imagine this was a sudden thing, and I can’t imagine she’s terribly qualified in the first place.

Bottom line

I never thought I’d have a hotel spa treatment that would top the “hard selling” of off-menu services I had at a Marriott in China. But I’m just wrapping up a stay at a hotel in South Tyrol where the therapist seemingly just wasn’t able to apply any pressure due to hand pain, down to the point that she brought it up three times during my short massage. I sympathize with her, but also, it seems that maybe she shouldn’t be performing these treatments?

If you’d like to just be slathered in oil and have someone lightly run their hand over your entire body, I’d highly recommend this place. Otherwise, I’d recommend saving your time and money.

How would you handle this strange spa experience, and how would you have handled it?

How Marriott’s guaranteed welcome gift works

While Marriott Bonvoy has become a pretty inconsistent loyalty program nowadays, the program does offer some elite benefit guarantees,

Marriott Bonvoy offers a few elite benefit guarantees, which cover things like getting your preferred bed type, having your reservation honored, getting access to guaranteed availability, etc.

Arguably the most interesting guarantee centers around welcome gifts. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador members, are entitled to a welcome gift when they check-in at a Marriott property. Choices range from points, to breakfast, to a gift, to a food & beverage credit. As this policy is described:

As a Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite member, you’ll receive a special gift upon arrival at participating hotels, with a choice of an amenity gift or points. If guarantee is not met, guest compensation applies.

If the guarantee isn’t met, Bonvoy members are entitled to compensation ranging from $25 to $100, depending on the brand (most full service brands promise $100, though this doesn’t apply at EDITION and Ritz-Carlton properties).

It’s also quite explicit in the Marriott Bonvoy terms that this is about being offered your welcome gift on arrival, rather than just being offered it at some point during your stay:

If the Elite Welcome Gift is not offered at time of arrival, compensation applies

Requesting compensation is sort of awkward, no?

One of the reasons I’m writing this post is because a reader recently found himself in a situation where he wasn’t offered the guaranteed welcome amenity, and then requesting the compensation became a bit awkward. In all my years of staying at Marriott properties, I’ve not been offered a welcome amenity at check-in maybe a handful of times.

If you’re staying at an eligible brand and aren’t offered the welcome amenity at check-in, you’re entitled to $100 cash compensation, full stop. Sounds great, right?

The issue is, how does one actually request that compensation without it being super awkward, and without coming across as a complete jerk, especially for an honest mistake? After all, most people stay at hotels to unwind, and not to feel like they’re going to battle.

The common wisdom seems to be that when people use this guarantee, front desk agents (and even managers, in some situations) are typically not familiar with this policy, or at least pretend not to be familiar with it. The discussion apparently usually goes something like this:

“Hey, so I checked in yesterday and wasn’t offered my welcome gift.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry about that, let me take care of that right now. Which did you want to select?”
“I’ll take the points, please… and $100.”
“Sorry, what?”

Most Marriott employees aren’t familiar with the policy, and those that are apparently often try to argue that they can still offer the amenity while you’re on property, or that they just “assumed” you wanted the points.

I feel like the way this is executed almost guarantees a really uncomfortable interaction, and I don’t see how a hotel won’t strongly dislike a guest after they request this. After all, the compensation isn’t really proportional to the “mistake.” As a matter of fact, there’s no difference whether I’m offered my points at check-in or later during my stay, since they’ll only post after my stay anyway.

More often than not if you aren’t offered a welcome amenity, it’s because the front desk agent might be overworked, and it was an honest mistake. I certainly don’t want to get the person checking me in trouble or penalized, but that seems like it could very well happen if the hotel has to take money out of its budget to exercise this guarantee.

To be clear, I’m not in any way judging anyone who uses the guarantee — it’s something Marriott clearly promises, and there’s nothing wrong with exercising that promised perk. It’s just something I personally struggle to exercise. Maybe it’s because I’m too much of a pushover, maybe it’s because I don’t like conflict, or maybe it’s a combination of both.

If the money were coming out of the pocket of Marriott’s CEO, I’d be first in line to request it. However, that’s not actually the case, obviously.

Bottom line

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members and above are guaranteed a welcome gift. If a front desk agent doesn’t offer it at check-in, you’re entitled to cash compensation of up to $100, depending on the type of property.

While the benefit sounds great on paper, taking advantage of it is a whole different story. I can’t help but feel like a jerk for requesting the $100 I’m technically entitled to for something that’s a non-issue, and for that matter it’s probably not worth getting an evil glare for the reminder of my stay over this.

But that’s just me, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with requesting what you’re “entitled” to. It just seems like a policy that’s set up to lead to disappointment, regardless of how strongly it’s worded.

I’d love to hear how other Marriott Bonvoy members feel. Have you ever not been offered your welcome gift, and if so, did you request the compensation? How did it go?

As we approach 18 months of American’s attempted turnaround, just how far has the airline come? While I recognize some progress has been made, I think we also have to be realistic about what has actually changed vs. what has been promised, and how the current reality compares to that of competitors.

Before I get into this, let me say that I think the difference between US carriers isn’t necessarily as pronounced as some like to claim — it’s not like Delta is Singapore Airlines, and American is Ryanair. However, airlines need a bit of momentum and mojo to convince all parties (investors, employees, and customers) that things are changing, and I’m not convinced American actually has all that much to show for its efforts as of now.

Is American Airlines actually better than we think?

Gary at View from the Wing writes a post titled “American Airlines Is Better Than You Think After 18 Months Of Changes. It Still Needs A Premium Identity.” However, I think he’s being a bit too charitable in terms of how far he perceives that the airline has come so far. He’s on the one hand suggesting that the airline is already better than we think and he doesn’t think they get enough credit for what they’ve done in the past 18 months, and then goes on to highlight all of the things that American is promising to do in the future.

Look, I actually think some of American’s leadership team at the moment is pretty good (with CEO Robert Isom being the major exception, not because he isn’t a nice guy, but because he’s not a leader), and I do think they’re moving in the right direction. However, ultimately customers fly an airline because of what they’re experiencing now, and not because of what they’re being promised in the future.

For example, Gary calls American’s new lounges “absolutely gorgeous,” and then points out all the airports that will be getting new lounges in the future. Yes, Charlotte and Miami will get new Flagship Lounges, and Austin, Chicago, and Nashville, will get new Admirals Clubs… but when?

To use my home airport as an example, nobody has actually been able to share any details about this alleged new Flagship Lounge, and airport committee documents don’t show any approval for such a concept. It’s possible I’m missing something, but the “coming soon” banners all over the airport about a new Flagship Lounge strike me as a bit of a stretch.

Gary gives credit to American for its new Philadelphia Flagship Lounge. Yes, it’s good to have one at all, but it’s way too small, and design wise, it pales in comparison to a Delta One Lounge. Gary’s own review of the lounge claimed that it’s “stunning — if you can get a seat.” Seriously this is American’s “absolutely gorgeous” new creme de la creme of lounges…

…while below that is the dining area looks like at the Delta One Lounge New York. To me, one looks like an Admirals Club, the other looks like a nice hotel restaurant.

And on that topic, the above is the nicest Flagship Lounge in terms of design. Most Flagship Lounges still have the old design, where spaces look more like a waiting room in a doctor’s office.

Speaking of American’s new design aesthetic, the airline revamped its lounge design in October 2022, nearly four years ago. How many Admirals Clubs have the new design, so far? By my count, that number is four. So that’s an average of around one lounge a year, and I don’t even know of any other new Admirals Clubs opening imminently with the new design (though I could be missing some)?

By the way, during that same time period, at least eight Delta Sky Clubs have opened with the latest design motif, and with a lot more square footage. I think this basically sums up my issue with Gary’s argument — yes, American is improving, but at the same time, competitors are improving at a faster pace. So the gap isn’t really narrowing, and ultimately we judge an airline based on its competitive standing, and not by any absolute metrics.

Gary points out how American has introduced Lavazza coffee. I love coffee, and I’m happy to see that as well. At the same time, Delta and United also have coffee partnerships, with more extensive offerings, with United having illy cold brew, and Delta having Starbucks espresso-based drinks in lounges. Again, even as American improves, it’s still behind.

The introduction of Bollinger champagne in business class is great, and matches what competitors have done. As usual, American was the last of the “big three” US carriers to announce a champagne collaboration.

Similarly, Gary points out how buy on board options have improved. Yes, that’s true, but they still pale in comparison to what you’ll find on United, for example, where there’s hot pre-order food available.

I could go on and on here, but my point is simple — this feels a bit to me like just giving out participation awards. Yes, things are moving in the right direction. However, these are almost entirely initiatives intended to narrow the gap with competitors, while they continue to move forward and lead the way.

And the argument can’t be made that the airline is better than people realize based on something that’s being promised in the future. Of course we don’t realize it, because it doesn’t exist.

American has one biggest and hardest hurdle to overcome

Gary talks about “what remains to be done,” and I agree with the core of what he says:

American Airlines needs a premium vision consistently articulated by the CEO and sold to employees so they know what kind of product and service they’re supposed to deliver, so they buy into providing it, and so they understand that doing so is linked to the success of the company (they’re in an important battle) and for profit-sharing. Middle management hasn’t had the incentive for a decade to sweat the small details of product. The frontline hasn’t been told that the service they offer matters.

They need widebody aircraft, having retired international-capable Boeing 757, Boeing 767, and Airbus A330s during the pandemic in the name of ‘simplifying’ the fleet – and lost out on the boom to Europe as a result. Just offering service to South American, joint venture partner hubs, and summer seasonal Europe isn’t enough and doesn’t give members the flights that inspire them to spend on card either.

The issue I have is that I don’t think he’s doing enough to emphasize how big these two issues are. If you ask me, 90% of American’s issues aren’t about whether they have brisket in first class or which lounges they’re promising to open, but instead, about having a culture where employees genuinely feel connected to the mission of the company, and taking care of customers.

I think Gary is a little too clinical in his assessment of the culture problem. It’s essentially “the CEO has to say X, so that employees do Y.” I think the airline is too far gone on that front.

American CEO Robert Isom has lost the respect of frontline employees. That’s partly due to the lack of performance while he has been CEO, and it’s partly just a bigger symptom of how the “America West boys” have been running things for decades.

Real talk — when is the last time that we saw a culture change at an airline with a CEO who employees don’t actually respect? To be clear, that’s not me saying that employees don’t respect him, it’s employees saying it — flight attendants issued a first-ever vote of no confidence in Isom, and pilots have made it clear that leadership failures are unacceptable. This isn’t a rhetorical answer — I’d love if anyone can think of a single time in the airline industry such a culture change happened under an existing, unpopular CEO.

If Isom says tomorrow “hey guys we’re premium now, let’s all do our best, yay,” it won’t be taken seriously. After all, keep in mind that Isom’s narrative for so long has been to suggest that nothing is wrong, and employees should just keep doing what they’re doing.

Culture changes start when there’s new leadership that makes the strategic goals very clear from the beginning, and gets employees genuinely excited. We’re talking Richard Anderson at Delta, Oscar Munoz at United, etc.

I am convinced that American will not have a proper turnaround until it has a CEO who employees are excited about, and who understands the importance of culture and service. But American’s board has been asleep for years, and it doesn’t look like anything is changing there. American needs a people person as CEO, and not just a CFO or COO.

But seriously, this the single biggest thing American needs to change the passenger experience, and the longer this is pushed off, the more American’s turnaround will be delayed. All the other improvements only get you so far when a company’s culture is broken.

And yes, then there’s American’s completely uninspiring long haul route network, which is also hard to fix in the coming years, given American’s lack of aircraft on order. That’s also something that can’t be solved overnight, and will continue to put American at more of a disadvantage, as competitors take delivery of more planes.

I say all of this because I care about American — living in Miami, it’s the carrier that’s easiest for me to fly, and there’s little I’d love more than to see American actually be a great airline. American has been my primary airline for well over 15 years now. A transformation is absolutely possible, but without a culture reboot (which requires a new CEO), it’s a pipe dream.

There are so many people at American who are doing their best to turn the airline around. The issue is that they report to the CEO, and therefore they are in a situation where they’re unable or unwilling to admit that not having a CEO who motivates employees is one of the company’s biggest challenges.

Bottom line

It has now been close to 18 months since American executives laid out the vision for the airline to become more premium. Has progress been made? Absolutely. Have most of the changes simply been copying competitors, with moves that should’ve been made years ago? Yes. Are Delta and United also trying to improve at a fast pace, and arguably outpacing American? I’d say so.

But any positive changes are overshadowed by what hasn’t changed, which is American’s leadership at the very top. American needs a culture change, and when the CEO’s narrative is that everything is great and everyone should keep doing what they’re doing, it fails to address American’s single biggest disadvantage, which is service and culture.

What do you make of the progress of American’s transformation?

Thai Airways employee enters Australia with 12 tote bags of heroin

The Bangkok Post reports how a 26-year-old Thai Airways flight attendant has been arrested in Australia, after attempting to enter the country with roughly one kilogram of heroin, with a street value of around 500K AUD (345K USD).

This incident involves Thai Airways flight TG465, which was operating from Bangkok (BKK) to Melbourne (MEL). Specifically, it was the Airbus A350-900 flight departing on the night of Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and landing in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 25, 2026.

While the flight attendant passed through customs, a sniffer dog alerted on her luggage. At that point the bags were put through an x-ray, which is when the drugs were uncovered. Upon inspecting her luggage, customs officials found 12 tote bags with white power concealed in the lining. Tests later confirmed that this was heroin, with a total weight of roughly one kilogram.

The Australian Federal Police reports that the woman has been charged with one count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, and one count of possessing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, and each charge comes with a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

The woman is expected to reappear before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 14, 2026.

Airline employee drug smuggling isn’t that uncommon

Obviously most flight attendants are honest people who work hard and follow the rules. However, as you’d expect, with hundreds of thousands of flight attendants around the globe, there are going to be some bad apples.

For one, flight attendants have the means to travel easily, which is conducive to moving drugs between countries. For that matter, especially in countries where wages aren’t necessarily that high, smuggling drugs seems like very “easy” money, and they probably tell themselves they’ll do it once, but never again.

I’ve seen way too many episodes of “Locked Up Abroad” over the years, and I tend to feel sympathetic for the people who end up getting caught, in turn ruining their lives. They’re often people in a tough spot who are just trying to help their family financially, or who are naive and were talked into something.

Of course that’s no excuse, and people have to take accountability for their actions. Heroin also ruins a lot of lives, so theres a real societal cost to this as well.

Even more than flight attendants, though, you’ll find that those working in airport operations are most often involved in drug smuggling. After all, they have the ability to most easily access bags, so you’ll find some ground workers involved in elaborate global schemes.

Bottom line

A Thai Airways flight attendant was caught trying to smuggle one kilogram of heroin into Australia. The 26-year-old had just worked a Bangkok to Melbourne flight, and while going through customs, a sniffer dog alerted. Once her bags were x-rayed, 12 tote bags were found, each lined with heroin.

She now faces two criminal counts, each of which could carry a sentence of up to 25 years in prison. That’s not a good situation to be in…

What do you make of this Thai Airways flight attendant being busted with heroin?

British Airways’ controversial new crew rest policy

As reported on FlyerTalk and flagged by PYOK, British Airways has a new policy when it comes to crew rest on select flights. On long haul flights, it’s common for crews to have a dedicated rest period between the services. On most wide body, long haul aircraft, there are dedicated crew rest bunks, completely separate from the passenger compartment (most passengers don’t even realize these exist).

However, British Airways also loves to cut corners where it can, and that includes with crew rest facilities. On all Boeing 787-10s delivered up until this point, and on select Boeing 777-200ERs, the airline doesn’t have dedicated crew rest facilities (they cost money to install, and also increase the weight of the aircraft, and in turn, fuel burn).

On these flights, crews are expected to rest in the galley jump seats. Essentially there are some jump seats in the galley that are separated from the cabin by a curtain, which are referred to as “high-comfort attendant seats.” However, these definitely aren’t comfortable.

So British Airways is now updating its crew rest policy on these flights. Specifically, on these aircraft, British Airways crews can now sit in any vacant seats on the aircraft, including in first and business class, as long as they don’t ask other passengers to move in order to facilitate that.

The guidance also requires crew using passenger seats for rest to remove or cover their uniform items, and to use the bedding provided in the cabin. I guess the idea is that the crews blend in more, and that it’s not obvious that crews are resting in passenger seats.

I’m all for crews resting, but this doesn’t feel “premium”

Ultimately this “solution” only exists because British Airways opted to not install dedicated crew rest facilities on some aircraft, even though it should’ve. These planes aren’t just operating short long haul flights, but they’re even operating routes like Seattle (SEA) to London (LHR). These are long flights, though not ultra long haul flights where regulators mandate dedicated crew rest facilities separate from the cabin.

I can totally appreciate that it’s really unpleasant for crew rest facilities on these aircraft to just be limited to jump seats in the galleys — what an uncomfortable way to rest.

However, optics also matter, especially when you’re selling premium products. For example, imagine you spend $10,000 on a British Airways first class ticket and there’s only one other passenger booked in the cabin, so you feel like you have a nice, private cabin. Then after the meal service, you suddenly have every seat full, with six flight attendants hanging out, watching movies, and chilling.

Is that actually a problem? Well no, not really. But it certainly takes away a little bit from the feeling of exclusivity. Honestly, you most commonly see flight attendants hanging out in passenger seats on long haul flights on poorly run government airlines, where the crew just treat the premium cabin seats as their playground.

Now, in fairness, I’m not sure British Airways is actually trying to be that premium, so perhaps that’s all fine. Ultimately British Airways’ biggest competitive advantage is that it has a large number of Heathrow slots, and that’s a valuable asset.

I should also mention that some airlines do have dedicated pilot crew rest facilities in premium cabins. However, I view that as being a bit different — in these situations where’s typically a curtain around the seat, and that seat is also blocked off on the seat map. As I see it, it’s not the same as a “take any seat you wish if it’s open” policy.

Bottom line

British Airways has updated its policy on crew rest for aircraft without dedicated crew bunks. Historically, crews have only been able to rest in their galley jump seats, which are of course not very comfortable. Now that policy has been updated, and crews can also sit in any vacant seats on the aircraft, including in first and business class.

I think British Airways was super cheap by not installing crew bunks on select 777s and 787s in the first place. While I don’t think this is a huge deal, it’s also decidedly un-premium to essentially treat the seats that people are paying thousands of dollars for as places for the crew to just hang out between services.

What do you make of British Airways’ new crew rest policy?

What are hotel welcome amenities?

In a nutshell, a hotel welcome amenity is a gift that’s typically placed in your room on the first day of your stay. Sometimes you’ll find a welcome amenity in your room when you arrive, while in other cases it may be delivered on your first afternoon or evening, after checking in (which is why it could be worth not putting up your “do not disturb” sign). At more limited service properties, you may be given a gift bag upon check-in, or something along those lines.

In some cases a welcome amenity is advertised as a perk of a stay, while more often than not it’s a “surprise and delight” thing, where it’s not something that’s published, but it is common.

You’ll find that luxury hotels consistently provide these to guests. The quality can vary significantly, though. At some hotels (like the Mandarin Oriental Boston) it could be a few pieces of fruit.

At other hotels (like Cheval Blanc Paris), it could be a bottle of champagne, some amazing homemade sweets, and some fruit.

What’s offered as a welcome amenity can vary significantly, though more often than not it’s some sort of a food & beverage offering. It’s most commonly a fruit plate, cheese plate, sweets, and/or wine.

Note that in this post I’m not talking about hotel welcome amenities offered by hotel loyalty programs, where you may receive some bonus points as a “welcome amenity.” I’m talking about tangible in-room gifts provided proactively by hotels.

What impacts whether you get a hotel welcome amenity?

I find that most “true” luxury hotels offer some sort of a welcome amenity to guests. Even beyond that, though, you may find that many upscale hotels also offer welcome amenities under some circumstances.

What impacts if you get a welcome amenity, and for that matter, the quality of the welcome amenity? Potential factors include:

• The type of hotel you’re staying at
• Your elite status, if you’re staying at a hotel with a loyalty program
• Whether you’re a repeat guest at that specific hotel
• If you’re celebrating anything special, like an anniversary or birthday
• If you booked through a travel agent program that offers a welcome amenity as a published perk, including Hyatt Privé, Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, Marriott STARS, etc.

Don’t be offended if you stay at a hotel that doesn’t offer you a welcome amenity. Similarly, you may find that you stay at the same hotel twice, and are offered a welcome amenity once, but not the other time. Whether or not you’re offered one on a particular stay can come down to a variety of factors, including how busy the hotel is that day, what staffing is like, etc.

My take on hotel welcome amenities

I figured I’d share a few personal thoughts on hotel welcome amenities, of course acknowledging that this is hardly the most important aspect of a hotel stay. Then I also want to pose a question to OMAAT readers. The way I see it:

• Personally I’m a bit surprised when I don’t receive some sort of a welcome amenity at a luxury hotel, while otherwise I don’t expect one, and am pleasantly surprised when I receive one
• I admit that hotels are in a tough spot when it comes to welcome amenities, especially with alcohol; it’s nice when a bottle of wine is offered, but if it’s a $6 bottle of sparkling wine, it may leave a bad taste in some peoples’ mouth (figuratively, and maybe even literally), especially if they’re paying a lot for a stay
• While it’s always nice to receive a welcome amenity, as a frequent traveler it can be hard to “maximize” these — I hate wasting, but when I’m given a plate with about 4,000 calories of chocolate…

Now here’s a question for readers — if you’re proactively offered a welcome amenity but you don’t like what’s being offered, do you let the hotel know? Here’s my personal take:

• Unless it’s a published benefit of what I booked (like for booking through a certain program with a travel agent, or at certain luxury hotels that market a welcome amenity as a feature), I would feel weird requesting a different gift; I think the exception would be if I didn’t drink alcohol, and the amenity consisted of alcohol, or if allergies came into play
• At the same time, if you are offered a nice bottle of wine, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to request a swap to a different similarly priced bottle (for example, if you like white wine, but are offered red wine)

I know some people will even email hotels and request a specific kind of welcome amenity even if a welcome amenity isn’t an official perk. Personally I would feel sheepish and never do that, but to each their own…

Bottom line

It’s always a treat to get a welcome amenity at a hotel. The quality can vary significantly, and it could be anything from a couple of bottles of water to a nice bottle of champagne and a cheese plate. It’s most common to find welcome amenities at luxury hotels, at hotel groups you have status with, or at hotels that you frequent.

What’s your take on hotel welcome amenities? When do you expect them, and what do you expect?

I’d like to post a heads up that this is the last chance to apply under the current offers, as they’re expected to be pulled as of 7AM ET on Thursday, July 2, 2026. So that I don’t bury the lede, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card bonus is the one I’d consider most worthwhile, but I’ll cover the details of all three bonuses.

Big Southwest Rapid Rewards card welcome offers

The three Southwest Rapid Rewards personal credit cards are offering limited time welcome bonuses where you can earn a varying number of Rapid Rewards points. The bonus and spend requirements differ for each card, and are as follows, for applications through 7AM ET on July 2, 2026:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (learn more) — earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card (learn more) — earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (learn more) — earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months

I value Rapid Rewards points at 1.2 cents each, so I value the 80,000 to 90,000 points at $960 to $1,080, which is solid, and much better than the typical offers that we see. Put another way, based on my valuation, there’s a $60 difference between the value of each offer.

So I’d absolutely recommend factoring in the welcome offer into the overall math on deciding which card to apply for. And I won’t bury the lede — I think the most premium card is most worthwhile.

Eligibility for Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa cards

When it comes to getting approved for a personal Southwest Visa card, you’re not eligible for one of these cards if you are:

• A current cardmember of any personal Southwest Visa Card
• A previous cardmember of any personal Southwest Visa Card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months

That means the welcome offers on the cards are mutually exclusive, and you’ll want to pick which card makes the most sense for you. See this post for Southwest credit card eligibility restrictions, and see this post for Chase’s general application restrictions.

How much are Rapid Rewards points worth?

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards is a revenue-based program, meaning that the number of points required for an award redemption is roughly correlated to how much a ticket would cost in cash. However, nowadays there’s a dynamic element to this, which is to say that you’ll get a higher value per point on flights that are less in demand (the idea is that Southwest wants to minimize its costs associated with Rapid Rewards redemptions.

Big picture, I’d say you’ll get an average of around 1.2 cents of value toward airfare per Southwest point, though there is some variance.

Differences between Southwest personal credit cards

The annual fees on Southwest’s co-branded credit cards range from $99 to $229. The temptation might be to go for the card with the lowest annual fee, though as I’ll explain below, the premium cards can represent a much better value, especially when you also factor in the higher value of the welcome offer.

What are the differences between these three Southwest credit cards?

Southwest credit card annual fees

The three personal Southwest Visa all have different annual fees, as follows:

• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card has a $99 annual fee
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card has a $149 annual fee
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card has a $229 annual fee

Southwest credit card anniversary bonus points

As an incentive to hold onto the Southwest Visa, you earn a certain number of anniversary bonus points every year (this happens every 12 billing cycles after you open your card):

• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card has a 3,000 point anniversary bonus
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card has a 6,000 point anniversary bonus
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card has a 7,500 point anniversary bonus

Based on my valuation of 1.2 cents per Rapid Rewards point, that means you’re getting roughly the following annual value in terms of points earned:

• On the $99 annual fee Plus Card you’re earning $36 worth of points
• On the $149 annual fee Premier Card you’re earning $72 worth of points
• On the $229 annual fee Priority Card you’re earning $90 worth of points

Southwest credit card seat assignment benefit

Southwest no longer has its open seating policy. Instead, the airline has assigned seating, and has even broken the cabin up into three zones, with the forward zone having extra legroom. With that in mind, credit cards are the key to making sure you get the best deals on the best seats on the plane. Specifically:

• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card lets cardmembers and up to eight companions select standard seats at no cost within 48 hours of departure, when available
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card lets cardmembers and up to eight companions select standard seats at no extra cost at the time of booking, and preferred legroom seats within 48 hours of departure, when available
• The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card lets cardmembers and up to eight companions select preferred seats at no extra cost at the time of booking, and extra legroom seats within 48 hours of departure, when available

Southwest credit card return on spending

All three personal Southwest Airlines credit cards offer different returns on spending.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card offers:

• 2x points on Southwest purchases
• 2x points at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per year
• 1x points on all other purchases

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card offers:

• 3x points on Southwest purchases
• 2x points at grocery stores and restaurants on the first $8,000 in combined purchases per year
• 1x points on all other purchases
• 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 spent on the card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card offers:

• 4x points on Southwest purchases
• 2x points at gas stations & 2x points at restaurants
• 1x points on all other purchases
• 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 spent on the card

As you can see, you’ll want to get one of the two more premium cards if you want to spend your way toward Southwest status. The rewards structure also generally gets more lucrative the more premium of a card you go for.

Southwest credit card first checked bag free benefit

While Southwest no longer offers two free checked bags for all passengers, this has now become a core credit card benefits. All of Southwest’s co-branded personal cards offer one free checked bag for the primary cardmember and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.

Given that Southwest charges up to $45 for a first checked bag, that would be a value of up to $810 on a roundtrip itinerary (of course most people aren’t traveling with a party of nine, with everyone checking bags). The point is that there’s no differentiation between cards when it comes to this perk.

Southwest credit card early boarding benefit

All of Southwest’s co-branded personal cards offer a boarding benefit. With this, cardmembers and up to eight companions on the same reservation will board no later than Group 5, giving them earlier access to overhead bins. The “no later than” language exists because if you get assigned a more premium seat that comes with priority boarding, you can of course take advantage of that as well.

Southwest credit card 25% inflight savings benefit

All of Southwest’s co-branded personal cards offer 25% savings on inflight purchases, which basically includes savings on inflight drinks. In the past this also offered savings on inflight Wi-Fi purchases, but Wi-Fi is now free for Rapid Rewards members.

Why the Southwest Priority Card is the obvious option

If you’re trying to decide which Southwest credit card to apply for, I’d highly recommend the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card, which is the most premium card, with a $229 annual fee. Yes, the annual fee is $80-130 higher than the other two cards. However:

• The card has a welcome offer that’s 5,000-10,000 points better, and I value that at an incremental $60-120 return; so it’s worth taking advantage of that, and if you decide the card doesn’t make sense after a year, you should be able to downgrade it
• On an ongoing basis, the 1,500-4,500 incremental bonus points will come in handy, in helping to offset the annual fe
• Ultimately if you fly Southwest with any frequency, you’re going to value the incremental seat assignment benefits, of being able to select preferred seats at the time of booking, and being able to select extra legroom seats within 48 hours of departure

So yeah, if I wanted to give one Southwest card a try, I’d go for the Priority one.

Southwest’s Premier & Performance Business cards

If you’re looking for a business credit card, you’re in luck, because Southwest has two excellent business cards:

• The $149 annual fee Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (learn more) has a welcome bonus where you can earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 within three months
• The $299 annual fee Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (learn more) has a welcome bonus where you can earn 80,000 points after spending $5,000 within three months

Bottom line

Southwest Airlines’ personal co-branded credit cards are offering excellent limited time welcome offers, ranging from 80,000 to 90,000 bonus points upon completing minimum spending. If you’ve been considering applying, this is the last chance to do so.

Of the three cards, I think the $229 annual fee Southwest Priority Card is the best option, given the extra perks it offers, which more than justify the annual fee. From a first checked bag fee, to preferred boarding, to the potential to select extra legroom seats, the card has a very strong value proposition.

Furthermore, given that it has the biggest welcome offer, there’s merit to giving the card a try. If you decide it’s not the right fit for you, you can always cancel or downgrade it after a year.

Do you plan on picking up a Chase Southwest credit card with this offer?

Several weeks ago, we saw a huge new welcome offer introduced on the card, which I’d argue is the best publicly available offer that we’ve seen, even better than the limited time offer at launch. I’d like to post a final reminder that the current offer ends on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, so if you’re interested in applying, this is your last chance to do so.

Link: Learn about the best credit cards for Alaska Atmos Rewards

Atmos Rewards Summit Card limited time welcome bonus

The Atmos Rewards Summit Card is currently offering a limited time welcome bonus that consists of three separate sets of rewards:

• Earn 100,000 Alaska Atmos Rewards bonus points after spending $6,500 within the first 90 days; there are lots of amazing uses of Atmos Rewards points, including for travel on Alaska, Hawaiian, and American, among many other airlines
• Earn a 25,000-point Global Companion Award after spending $6,500 within the first 90 days; this is valid for 12 months from when it’s issued, and can be used to take a companion on an award ticket, while getting 25,000 points off the cost of their award
• Earn a 50% flight discount after opening the account; there are quite a few terms associated with this, as you must travel over a limited period in summer, it’s only valid on most economy fares, and you must fly Alaska or Hawaiian

Personally, I value Atmos Rewards points at 1.5 cents each. I’d consider this offer to be worth 125,000 points (not factoring in the 50% discount code), so to me that’s a staggering value of $1,875.

Even if you’re not convinced on the long term value proposition of the card, I absolutely think it’s worth giving a try, given all the uses of Atmos Rewards points. This is one of the best bonuses I ever recall seeing on an airline credit card.

Atmos Rewards Summit Card eligibility requirements

If you’re interested in applying for the Atmos Rewards Summit Card, the good news is that the application restrictions are pretty limited. Specifically, you are eligible for this card if you have any of the other Atmos Rewards cards, whether personal or business.

Personally, I find Bank of America to be one of the most straightforward and easier card issuers to get approvals from, though that’s anecdotal, and I’ve had good luck with these cards.

Read my guide to getting approved for Atmos Rewards cards.

Why the Atmos Rewards Summit Card is worth it

The Atmos Rewards Summit Card has a $395 annual fee, though it has to be one of the most interesting and rewarding airline credit cards we’ve ever seen. As I see it, here are the main reasons to consider getting this card, beyond the welcome bonus:

• A lucrative rewards structure, including 3x points on all foreign purchases (an incredible bonus category), plus 3x points on dining
• The fastest pathway to Atmos Rewards elite status — receive an anniversary boost of 10,000 status points, plus earn one status point for every $2 spent
• The ability to earn Global Companion Awards — an anniversary 25,000-point Global Companion Award just for having the card, plus a 100,000-point Global Companion Award for spending $60,000 on the card per anniversary year
• Up to eight Alaska Lounge passes and up to eight Alaska inflight Wi-Fi passes per year, in the form of two of each pass per quarter
• A first checked bag free and 20% savings on inflight purchases on Alaska & Hawaiian flights
• Preferred boarding on Alaska flights
• Waived fees, including waived $12.50 partner award booking fees, and waived same day change fees on Alaska flights
• Upgrade priority on Alaska & Hawaiian flights, so that comes in handy for anyone with elite status
• The ability to share points with up to 10 other members at no cost (and vice versa)
• Primary rental car coverage, plus valuable travel protection for delayed flights, lost bags, and more

Read a detailed review of the Atmos Rewards Summit Card.

Bottom line

The Atmos Rewards Summit Card currently has a limited time welcome offer that can earn you 100,000 Atmos Rewards bonus points, a 25,000-point Global Companion Award, and a 50% discount code for an eligible flight, upon completing eligible activity. Arguably this is even better than the limited time offer we saw at launch.

This card is worth getting for the offer alone, given the huge value for travel on partner airlines, even if it’s “just” for domestic flights on American. But I think the card also offers good long term value, from the annual Global Companion Award, to all the other perks. For that matter, there’s an argument to be made for spending on the card to earn oneworld status.

This is a card that I and everyone else in my family have, so I would seriously recommend considering it, if you haven’t applied already. The offer ends June 30, 2026, so now is the time to apply.

Anyone plan to pick up the Atmos Rewards Summit Card with this great offer?

I figured that sounds kind of fun, though I do have a bit of PTSD about labeling things as “worst,” following my Cairo Airport saga. Hopefully this post doesn’t lead to any airline or country bans, or to any airlines releasing video footage of me enjoying a flight! 😉

My least favorite business class seats out there

Before I start sharing what I consider to be the worst business class seats, let me clarify a few points:

• This list is intended to be relative rather than absolute, since obviously virtually any fully flat seat would be better than a non-fully flat seat; rather, I’m largely considering the competitive landscape, and/or the products that are most in need of a refresh
• I’m only including products where a large percentage of the fleet has a seat, so I’m not going to include products where an airline has imminent plans to retire a configuration, or where it’s just one or two planes with a certain configuration
• This list isn’t in any way ranked, but rather is just a collection of products that come to mind; please view this as a lighthearted post, as I’m sure I’m not remembering some products
• I’m focusing specifically on hard product here, and not on soft product, so this doesn’t factor in the overall experience offered by an airline
• For the most part I’ll be listing specific airline products, though not across the board, as you’ll see below

With that out of the way, let’s get into it… and then I’m curious to hear what OMAAT readers think.

Intra-Europe business class products

This isn’t specific to an airline, but I think we can all agree that Europe probably has the most disappointing business class standard of anywhere in the world. Business class is simply economy with a blocked middle seat, so it’s a far cry from some comfortable luxury.

People are often confused by how European airline can get away with this. Well, the reality is that since no major European carrier has tried to do better, there’s not much competitive pressure to improve. This configuration also gives airlines a lot of flexibility, since they can change the size of premium cabins with each flight.

Royal Jordanian Embraer E2 staggered business class

I appreciate when airlines get innovative, though here’s the kind of innovation I don’t love. Royal Jordanian has refreshed its fleet of Embraer aircraft, and has gone from the previous generation planes to the E2 jets. In the process, the airline went from a 1-2 configuration in business class, to a 2-2 configuration.

However, it didn’t go with a traditional 2-2 layout. Instead, Royal Jordanian’s Embraer business class has staggered seats, where the window seats are essentially halfway between the aisle seats. While I appreciate the concept of giving people a little more space, this configuration makes absolutely no sense to me. The gap for entering window seats is tiny, and if you’re seated in a window seat, you feel like the person in the aisle seat is looking over your shoulder. No thank you!

Air New Zealand & Virgin Atlantic herringbone business class

When Virgin Atlantic introduced herringbone seats in 2003, it was pretty cutting edge, since very few airlines had flat beds in business class. However, well over 20 years later, this product really isn’t competitive anymore. You face the aisle (often looking at other passengers), there’s virtually no storage, and you have to get up to turn your seat into a (very hard) bed.

You’ll find this seat on Virgin Atlantic 787-9s and A330-300s, though you’ll find a much better business class product on A330-900neos and A350-1000s. Fortunately Virgin Atlantic plans to retrofit its Dreamliner cabins, though the project is only starting in 2028 (meanwhile the A330s will be retired eventually). Air New Zealand also has this product, though the airline is starting to reconfigure its aircraft.

Ethiopian Airlines 787 angled business class

Ethiopian Airlines is a powerhouse in Africa, offering an unrivaled route network. The airline has an inconsistent business class experience across its fleet. Over half of the carrier’s 787-8s have angled seats in business class. While Ethiopian was supposed to start reconfiguring these planes, that project has been delayed, and hasn’t started yet.

Even worse, these 787-8s are used for some of the carrier’s longest routes, including some 18-hour journeys to the United States (with a refueling stop in Rome).

Royal Air Maroc top/bottom business class

Top or bottom? No, this isn’t Grindr, it’s Royal Air Maroc’s 787-8 business class. I just find this configuration to be really odd, especially if you’re in the window seat and sleeping, and you’re basically on a pedestal for the person next to you. These seats also have bad padding, and it feels like sleeping on an ironing board.

Lufthansa non-Allegris business class

Admittedly Lufthansa is starting to roll out its new Allegris business class, though the carrier’s old business class will be flying around for several more years, and is what you’ll currently find on a vast majority of Lufthansa’s long haul fleet.

Lufthansa’s old business class is great if you’re traveling with family and a small child, since you can be so close to them, and enjoy the flight together. But for everyone else, this configuration offers very little privacy, and you’ll be playing footsie with your neighbor. What a contrast to compare Air France’s long haul business class fleet to that of Lufthansa in terms of direct aisle access and spaciousness.

Emirates angled 2-3-2 business class

Emirates is known for being one of the best airlines in the world, and has an amazing halo effect from its A380s, including the first class shower suites, the business class bar, etc. However, the carrier’s most common aircraft in service is the 777, and a large percentage of 777-300ERs still have angled business class seats in a 2-3-2 configuration.

In fairness, the airline is now aggressively retrofitting these aircraft, with a new product that’s much better, but still not cutting edge. The fact that one of the world’s most well regarded airlines has this as its current business class is kind of impressive in terms of how well marketing can work.

Air India 777 business class

If you think Emirates’ 777 business class is bad, Air India’s is even worse. The airline has angled seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, and they’re basically falling apart (passengers sometimes even have to sign waivers acknowledging this!), and also have way worse entertainment than Emirates. When you consider the outrageously long routes that these planes fly, it’s super disappointing.

Now, Air India does plan on reconfiguring these jets, though the project is substantially delayed. Also keep in mind that not all 777s have these seats, as Air India is leasing some planes that previously flew for other airlines, with different interiors.

Delta 767-300ER business class

Delta has an absolutely massive variance when it comes to the quality of its long haul business class seats. Delta’s 767-300ERs have what I’d consider to be the weakest wide body, international business class product, offered by any US airline.

While the seats have direct aisle access, that’s where the good news ends. The seats are super tight, and the entertainment screens are tiny and low resolution. Even worse, Delta has plans to fly these planes until at least 2030 (and until at least 2028 on international routes), with no plans to refresh the cabins. And Delta wonders why its net promoter score across the Atlantic has taken such a hit in recent years. What a massive contrast these seats are to United’s gorgeous 767 interiors.

British Airways Club World business class

To British Airways’ credit, the airline has been aggressively retrofitting its long haul aircraft to introduce the new Club Suites business class, which is an improvement over the old product. However, a majority of 787s, Gatwick-based 777s, and A380s, feature the outdated Club World business class. This has up to eight seats per row, doesn’t offer direct aisle access, and the general quality of these seats leaves a lot to be desired.

British Airways does plan to reconfigure it A380s, though that project won’t start until some point in 2026. Meanwhile Gatwick-based planes are expected to maintain these interiors.

Bottom line

Business class sure has come a long way over the years, with some absolutely amazing experiences. However, some airlines are still stuck in the past. In some cases it’s because airlines don’t think they have to invest, and in other cases it’s due to delivery delays with new aircraft, plus supply chain challenges.

The above are some of the products that don’t impress me, across a variety of airlines and regions.

What do you consider to be the worst business class seats out there, by whatever metric you’d like to use?

Long story short, if you pay rent or have a mortgage, there’s huge value to the Bilt ecosystem. And even if you don’t, there could still be value here. And so that I don’t bury the lede, I think the Bilt Palladium Card (Rates & Fees) is by far the most worthwhile option, despite its high annual fee. While the card won’t be for everyone, I think it’s much easier to get outsized value from than the other options.

In this post, I’d like to review the three cards, and compare them — since they’re substitutes and not complements, I figure it makes sense to just have one consolidated review of them, so that everyone can decide for themselves which makes the most sense.

Is it worth having a Bilt credit card in general, and if so, which of the three cards makes the most sense? Let me say upfront that the whole Bilt concept is rather confusing, so bear with me…

Link: Apply for a Bilt credit card, with three options to choose from

Bilt credit card annual fee comparison

To start with the very basics, Bilt has three credit cards, at three very different price points:

• The Bilt Blue Card has no annual fee, and authorized users can be added for free
• The Bilt Obsidian Card has a $95 annual fee, and authorized users can be added for $50 each
• The Bilt Palladium Card has a $495 annual fee, and authorized users can be added for $95 each (but receive some useful perks)

Up to $100 of Bilt Cash earned rolls over to the next year (Rates & Fees). While the tendency is of course to go for a card with as low of an annual fee as possible, there’s huge value to picking one of the more premium cards.

Bilt credit card welcome bonus comparison

The three Bilt credit cards have very different welcome bonuses, which will no doubt push people to apply for the most premium version of the card:

• The Bilt Blue Card has a welcome bonus of $100 in Bilt Cash upon approval
• The Bilt Obsidian Card has a welcome bonus of $200 in Bilt Cash upon approval
• The Bilt Palladium Card has a welcome bonus of 50,000 bonus points and Bilt Gold status after spending $4,000 within three first three months (on non-housing purchases), plus $300 in Bilt Cash upon approval

I’ll talk more about Bilt Cash in a bit, but obviously the incentive here is very much to apply for the most premium version of the card, given the value of the bonus. Bilt points are extremely valuable, and only the most premium version of the card offers points as part of the bonus.

Let me emphasize that you’re only eligible for one co-branded Bilt credit card, so you couldn’t pick up multiple of them (not that you’d necessarily want to do so anyway).

Bilt credit card rewards structure comparison

The three Bilt credit cards have totally different rewards structures. To start, let me mention the three things the card have in common when it comes to spending:

• All three cards have no foreign transaction fees (Rates & Fees)
• All three cards offer the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases, in addition to the points earned
• All three cards offer unlimited 1x points on rent and mortgage payments with no limits, when funded with Bilt Cash

With that in mind, here’s how the rewards structures otherwise compare:

• The Bilt Blue Card offers 1x points on everyday purchases
• The Bilt Obsidian Card offers 3x points on your choice of dining or groceries (dining is uncapped, groceries is capped at $25K of spending per year), 2x points on travel, and 1x points on all other purchases
• The Bilt Palladium Card offers 2x points on everyday purchases

While it’s nice that the Bilt Blue Card has no annual fee, it’s hard to get excited about that rewards structure. Meanwhile the Bilt Obsidian Card has some useful bonus categories, but otherwise, it’s nothing that’s going to stand out that much, compared to what the competition offers.

I think the Bilt Palladium Card is really where the value is at. You earn 2x points on all eligible purchases, and then on top of that, you earn 4% back in the form of Bilt Cash. That’s pretty exceptional for everyday spending.

One thing worth mentioning is that Bilt has some random exclusions of purchases that don’t earn points. For example, tax payments made by credit card don’t earn points, even though they do on a vast majority of other cards. That’s super frustrating, since paying taxes by credit card can make a lot of sense.

Bilt credit card benefits comparison

Beyond the rewards structure, what kind of benefits do Bilt credit cards offer? Not surprisingly, the no annual fee Bilt Blue Card doesn’t offer much in the way of benefits, aside from standard World Elite Mastercard perks.

Meanwhile the $95 annual fee Bilt Obsidian Card offers a $100 Bilt travel portal hotel credit every calendar year, in the form of a $50 semi-annual credit, valid for a two-night minimum stay.

Lastly, the $495 annual fee Bilt Palladium Card offers the most perks:

• A Priority Pass membership, with up to two guests allowed (authorized users can be added for $95 each, and also receive a membership)
• $200 in Bilt Cash annually, deposited at the beginning of each year, including with account opening (this is separate from the welcome bonus offer)
• A $400 Bilt travel portal hotel credit every calendar year, in the form of a $200 semi-annual credit, valid for a two-night minimum stay

While there’s potentially value with the hotel portal credits, I think many of us in the miles & points game already get so many of these kinds of hotel credits, and the minimum stay plus fairly small amounts mean most of us probably aren’t going to value these anywhere close to the credit amounts.

How can Bilt points be redeemed, and are they valuable?

Above there’s a lot of reference to Bilt points, but how valuable are they, and how can they be redeemed? Bilt has what I’d consider to be a “proper” transferable points currency, with over two dozen airline and hotel partners, most of which allow transfers at a 1:1 ratio.

Bilt partners with some valuable programs, ranging from Air Canada Aeroplan, to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, to Alaska Atmos Rewards, to Emirates Skywards, to World of Hyatt. If you’re used to earning points with Amex, Capital One, Chase, or Citi, then earning Bilt points should act as a very nice complement to that.

On the first day of each month, Bilt also has a Rent Day promotion, offering some sort of a special deal. More often than not, we see big transfer bonuses, with the size of the bonus being based on your Bilt elite status (and you can earn higher tier elite status with credit card spending). There’s even the ability to use Bilt Cash to take advantage of a bigger transfer bonus. So if you value travel rewards, you really can’t go wrong with Bilt.

What is Bilt Cash? How is that used for housing rewards?

Okay, I promise that Bilt can be rewarding, but I can’t promise it’ll be straightforward. 😉 Separate from points, there’s also the concept of Bilt Cash, which I’ve written a detailed guide to. Bilt Cash can be earned in a few ways:

• All Bilt credit cards offer 4% back on spending in the form of Bilt Cash, in addition to points rewards
• Bilt credit cards offer some Bilt Cash as part of the welcome bonus, and the Bilt Palladium Card offers $200 in Bilt Cash annually as a benefit
• All Bilt members earn $50 in Bilt Cash for every 25,000 Bilt points earned, whether they’re earned through credit cards or through other means

What about redeeming Bilt Cash? On the most basic level, Bilt Cash is the currency that allows members to earn rewards for their housing payments (rent or mortgage) at no cost. Specifically, every $30 in Bilt Cash can unlock up to 1,000 points on rent or mortgages (with a maximum of one point per dollar of housing spending). As an example:

• If you spent $15,000 on a Bilt credit card, you’d earn $600 in Bilt Cash (since you earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on all spending on all cards)
• $600 in Bilt Cash would allow you to earn rewards for $20,000 worth of rent or mortgage payments, while earning 1x points

Basically, if you want to be able to pay your rent or mortgage while earning rewards at the rate of 1x points, you’ll need to spend an average of 75% as much as your housing payment to rack up sufficient Bilt Cash (this doesn’t include things like Bilt Cash as part of welcome bonuses, or the $50 in Bilt Cash you earn for every 25,000 points earned, so the math is actually more favorable than that).

However, there are all kinds of other ways that Bilt Cash can be redeemed, either in lieu of rewards on housing payments, or in addition to that. For example, for those with the Bilt credit card, Bilt Cash can be redeemed for a points accelerator on everyday spending, which I’d consider to be pretty lucrative.

Specifically, Obsidian and Palladium cardmembers can enable an extra 1x points on everyday spending for the next $5,000 spent following activation. This is available at the cost of $200 in Bilt Cash per activation, and up to five activations are allowed each calendar year.

Put another way, this can make the Bilt Palladium Card a 3x points card for everyday spending, for up to $25,000 in spending per year, assuming you can achieve that amount of spending. What’s so nice about this is that every $5,000 in spending earns you $200 Bilt Cash, so you can unlock this several times.

Bilt is complicated, so here’s the strategy to consider

Obviously every consumer is different, though personally I think the Bilt Palladium Card is the way to go, and it’s where you can really unlock value in the Bilt ecosystem. There’s no “one size fits all” answer as to what credit card strategy is best, but let me explain my lack of enthusiasm for the two less premium cards. Long story short, it comes down to the competitive landscape.

The Bilt Blue Card is perfectly fine for a no annual fee card, but I have a hard time getting too excited about a card earning 1x points per dollar spent, when there are cards out there earning 2x points per dollar spent. Admittedly there’s also Bilt Cash, but still, I don’t think you’re going to come out that far ahead there.

Meanwhile I find the Bilt Obsidian Card to be a little too niche, since you can only earn 3x points in one spending category and 2x points in another spending category, so most people aren’t going to find that to be overwhelmingly rewarding, in my opinion. I suppose if you spend a lot in those bonus categories you can make it work, along with the value of Bilt Cash, but I wouldn’t say that’s widely appealing.

While I don’t love the annual fee on the Bilt Palladium Card, the actual rewards structure is pretty unrivaled. Let’s look at the value on an ongoing basis. Just as an example, let’s say you spend $100,000 per year on the card, and have $50,000 in housing payments per year. I realize those numbers are high for the average consumer, but I’m just trying to keep the math easy, and everyone can adjust the numbers for themselves.

In that situation, you’d earn 200,000 Bilt points from spending (at the rate of 2x points), plus you’d earn $4,600 in Bilt Cash ($4,000 from spending, $400 from the $25 in Bilt Cash for every 25,000 points earned, and $200 from the annual bonus on the card). When it comes time to redeem that Bilt Cash:

• $1,500 in Bilt Cash could be redeemed so that you earn 50,000 points on your $50,000 in housing spending
• $1,000 in Bilt Cash could be redeemed so that you earn 25,000 additional points from the spending multiplier

So at that point you’ll have earned 275,000 points for your $100,000 in spending, and you still have $2,100 in Bilt Cash to spend, on anything ranging from Walgreens and Lyft credits (in small increments), to Blacklane and BLADE credits (though both of those redemption options are still “coming soon,” frustratingly), and more.

Admittedly you have to be able to justify the $495 annual fee, which is steep, but I think the math on that very much checks out otherwise. Assuming you wouldn’t get value from the other perks on the card (like Priority Pass or the hotel credits), I’d say you’d conservatively want to earn an incremental 33,000 points above and beyond what you’d earn on other cards, to justify the annual fee. That’s just based on a simple valuation of 1.5 cents per Bilt point.

Another perk worth considering is that $50,000 worth of Bilt credit card spending per year unlocks Platinum status, which offers all kinds of additional perks. This includes everything from access to better Rent Day promotions, to Air France-KLM Flying Blue Gold status, to free flights with BLADE, and more.

Bottom line

Bilt has three Mastercard credit cards issued by Cardless — the no annual fee Bilt Blue Card, $95 annual fee Bilt Obsidian Card, and $495 Bilt Palladium Card. The cards are obviously at very different price points, and also each have a unique set of benefits.

What all four cards have in common is that they offer 4% back in the form of Bilt Cash, and that’s the currency by which you can earn rewards for your housing payments. To simplify the math as much as possible, you’ll need to spend an average of 75% as much as your housing payment in order to earn 1x points per dollar spent on housing, whether it’s a rent or mortgage payment.

I think the Bilt card ecosystem is best for those who are big spenders, and/or those who have big housing payments. In that situation, the Bilt Palladium Card is the way to go, as you earn 2x points and 4% Bilt Cash on all spending. That Bilt Cash can be used to cover your housing payments, and then you’ll still have a lot of Bilt Cash left to spend, on everything from spending accelerators to other credits.

While I think the Bilt system is ridiculously complicated, for the right type of consumer, I think there’s good value to be had. Unfortunately I have a harder time making the math work for smaller spenders, in terms of justifying the annual fee, or coming out ahead on the less premium cards.

What’s your take on Bilt’s credit cards, and which do you think is most lucrative?

Delta One Lounge coming to LAX Terminal 2

Delta is known for its excellent Delta One One Lounges, and there are currently four locations, in Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), and Seattle (SEA).

The Delta One Lounge LAX opened back in 2024, located in Terminal 3, and it offers a great experience. At only 10,000 square feet, it pales in comparison to the one at JFK, which is around 40,000 square feet. But still, Delta’s network at LAX also isn’t as big.

That brings us to the news — Delta plans to open a new Delta One Lounge at LAX Terminal 2. However, the process by which this will happen is rather odd. Shortly the Delta One Lounge will open in an “initial phase.” Then in 2028, the Delta One Lounge in Terminal 2 will undergo its transformation, and reopen following a full renovation.

It sounds like the initial facility will be more of a makeshift setup, while the real purpose-built Delta One Lounge concept will open in 2028. We now have a more specific timeline for this lounge opening, as JonNYC reports the lounge will welcome its first guests on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, so that’s just a couple of days from now.

Details remain very limited, though it sounds like there will be transportation directly to the lounge from Delta One check-in and the exclusive security line. Terminal 2 is getting a larger redevelopment, and this is the first stage of that, as more work to the entire terminal space is expected to take place in 2028 and beyond.

We know that the lounge will offer the typical Delta One Lounge dining experience at launch, but we don’t know much beyond that. The lounge is expected to take over the space of the former Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Terminal 2 (before it moved to Tom Bradley International Terminal), which was around 4,000 square feet, so I expect this lounge will be roughly the same size.

Among the premium international lounges of the “big three” US carriers, this is the first time that we’ve seen two of these lounges at one airport… and LAX isn’t even among Delta’s biggest hubs!

I am curious how they’re going to manage crowding between the two lounges. People will probably go to the lounge closer to their gate, or maybe to the Terminal 3 lounge, out of habit. How will Delta properly distribute guests, especially since ideally you don’t want to tell a business class passenger to schlep to Terminal 2, after they’ve arrived at the Terminal 3 lounge?

Separately, in 2027, Delta also plans to open a new Sky Club in Terminal 2. Again, details are limited, but this is a major investment in the airport.

This is part of Delta’s huge LAX growth plans

Typically, the “big three” US carriers love their fortress hubs, where they dominate the market, and control a majority of the traffic. This allows them to efficiently funnel passengers into their larger network, and also gives them more pricing power.

LAX is unique in that it’s an airport where American, Delta, and United, all have a hub. It’s the only airport where that’s the case. Over the years, we’ve seen the airlines kind of take turns being the slightly dominant airline (I guess you could say they’re LAX vers), but it’s just a really tough market.

You’d think LAX would be super lucrative, but it’s just not anywhere close to the most profitable hubs, due to the amount of competition. On the international front, you have so much service from foreign airlines, which often have much lower cost structures than US carriers. Furthermore, given how market share is distributed pretty equally, it’s also hard for any one airline to make huge money on credit cards, or to have much pricing power.

As things currently stand, there’s no denying that the Delta One Lounge LAX gets busy late at night (before the transpacific flights), but other than that, the lounge doesn’t get that crowded.

What’s odd about Delta is that it has spent recent years building up its hub in SEA as a long haul gateway, largely as an alternative to LAX. However, with growth constraints, plus the pressure of being number two behind Alaska, we’e now seen Delta shift growth back to LAX.

We’ve just seen Delta launch flights out of LAX to Hong Kong (HKG), and the airline also plans to launch Manila (MNL) flights in 2027. Side note — that HKG route must be buh-leeding money, particularly with current oil prices.

In the time since the second Delta One Lounge LAX was announced, we’ve learned more about Delta’s goal of dominating LAX, as the airline sees a “once in a generation” opportunity. While some growth is definitely possible, I tend to think history repeats itself, and I can’t imagine any ramp-up will be terribly profitable. But perhaps Delta views it as part of a larger strategic interest.

Bottom line

On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Delta is expected to open a second Delta One Lounge at LAX Terminal 2, complementing the one that opened in Terminal 3 in 2024. The temporary Delta One Lounge in Terminal 2 will open shortly for some amount of time, before being fully redeveloped, and then reopening in 2028.

Admittedly the current Delta One Lounge is rather small, but still, this is the first time we’ve seen a US carrier open two premium international business lounges at the same airport. We know Delta plans to grow at LAX, though I’m curious just how much growth is in the cards.

What do you make of a second Delta One Lounge LAX?

Delta CEO blames high fares on ATC capacity constraints

Delta CEO Ed Bastian had a roughly 15-minute interview several days ago with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business. Bastian isn’t exactly the most controversial CEO in terms of the claims he makes, so not much in there will surprise you.

He talked about how everything at Delta is great, since the airline caters to the very top end of the economy. He praised the administration for their awesomeness. He talked about how airfare has increased by around 10-15% due to the Iran conflict, and he doesn’t expect for it to go up much beyond that.

But here’s what I find interesting. Around 10min35sec into the interview, while talking about general air traffic control reform, he made the following statement, which wasn’t even in direct response to a question:

“People ask me all the time, what’s happening with prices? Prices will come down when we can fly more, when there’s more supply, it’s a supply and demand. Right now we’re kind of logjammed. There’s not a lot of supply we can bring in because the air traffic control system is congested. As you open up the skies, and you bring more flow, that’s going to help bring pricing down and enable us to bring more people to more places.”

Broadly, capacity reductions aren’t due to air traffic control

We absolutely have issues with our air traffic control system in the United States, and it desperately needs reform, because it contributes to a lot of the delays that we see. However, to suggest that airfare is expensive because of that is simply not accurate:

• At the end of the day, airfare is priced based on supply and demand, and not entirely based on the cost of providing air transport (or else many US carriers wouldn’t be stuck selling tickets at a loss)
• We’ve seen airfare increase in price by around 30% since the beginning of the year (a lot higher than the 10-15% that Bastian suggests), and nothing has changed about air traffic control during that period
• Instead, the reason airfare has increased is because airlines have strategically decreased capacity, which is the number one cause of fares increasing; let me emphasize that airlines are voluntarily decreasing capacity at the moment so that they can increase fares
• If airlines are so concerned about congested airspace, may I suggest that they not fly so many regional jets with so few seats? For that matter, Delta has the smallest mainline jets on order of any US airline, as the carrier flies a bunch of A220s with 109-130 seats, with a lot more on the way
• If we’re going to look at the baseline airfare before the recent hike in prices, passenger revenue per air seat mile at even profitable US airlines was largely lower than cost per air seat mile, with loyalty programs and other initiatives making up much of the revenue gap; costs in the industry aren’t going down, so are you going to tell me that this divide is going to increase even more?

Like I said, I agree we need air traffic control reform, in terms of making our air travel system more efficient. But to suggest this is some silver bullet that’s going to lead to lower airfare (beyond the low fares we saw before this current conflict) is just baseless.

And let me support this with one more point. When is Bastian suggesting that air traffic control was actually functional, and not the cause of higher airfare? Because if you look at the consumer price index for airfare over the years, it doesn’t seem to have any correlation to air traffic control staffing shortages.

Lastly, let me just contrast what Bastian is saying to the words of United CEO Scott Kirby (who doesn’t really hide his true intentions, or say what consumers want to hear). During the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call, Kirby made it clear that higher airfare is here to stay, and that the longer this conflict lasts, the more permanently they can keep higher pricing:

“Certainly, the longer this lasts, the higher the probability goes that the pricing increases hold. And we probably won’t hold 100% if we normalize as I told the team earlier today, and it’s just my guess that if things went back to mid-February normal, I think we get to keep 20% of the price increase next year. I think that’s going to move towards 80%. And every day, it’s ticking up longer as this goes on.”

I’m not suggesting Kirby is the most trustworthy guy in the industry, but I think that narrative is a lot more honest than Bastian suggesting that air traffic control is to blame for high airfare.

Bottom line

In recent months, we’ve seen airfare increase by an average of around 30%, among the biggest changes we’ve seen in such a short period of time in history. That’s largely fair, in the sense that airlines are facing higher costs than in the past.

However, if you’re an airline CEO and you proactively mention how people often ask you when tickets will get cheaper, it seems a bit disingenuous to say that airfare will go down when we see air traffic control reform. I agree airfare pricing is a function of capacity, but most of the capacity adjustments we see at airline are voluntary (to be able to raise airfare), rather than due to any concern for air traffic control staffing levels.

It seems a more honest answer would be that airfare might go down a bit once this conflict with Iran ends, but perhaps that’s too anti-administration for Bastian’s liking?

What do you make of Bastian’s comments about airfare pricing?

Air India plane “marginally infringed” on Pakistani airspace

The Hindustan Times reports on how India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended an Air India pilot and an air traffic controller over an incident that happened late at night on Monday, June 22, 2026.

Specifically, Air India flight AI479 was scheduled to operate the short 257-mile flight from Delhi (DEL) to Amritsar (ATQ), using an Airbus A321 with the registration code VT-PPT. The plane took off at 9:18PM local time, and was supposed to land under an hour later.

However, as the plane approached Amritsar, it was put into a holding pattern, as the runway needed to be inspected due to a bird strike involving a previous aircraft. At around 10:08PM, while the plane was getting radar vectors, it briefly entered Pakistani airspace, which was reportedly coordinated with Pakistani air traffic controllers.

The Indian air traffic controller had reportedly asked the Air India flight to continue toward the boundary, and then the plane continued and crossed into Pakistani airspace, entering by around three miles. As the airline described it in a statement, the plane “marginally infringed” on Pakistan’s airspace, and an internal investigation is being performed.

This all happened outside the hours during which surveillance services are available in Amritsar. The plane reentered Indian airspace by 10:20PM. At that point the plane returned all the way to Delhi, as it was running low on fuel. It landed in Delhi at 11:27PM, 2hr9min after it first departed.

The biggest issue here was the lack of incident reporting

Given the tension between Pakistan and India, Pakistani airspace has been closed to airlines from India for over a year now. As mentioned above, the Air India plane entering Pakistani airspace was reportedly done in coordination with air traffic control in Lahore, so it’s not like this happened without permission.

The biggest issue here isn’t that the plane entered Pakistani airspace, but instead, that both the pilot and the air traffic controller didn’t file a report with regulators after the fact, regarding what happened.

On some level, that seems fair enough. If airspace is closed to airlines from a certain country, it seems reasonable that you’d expect a report to be filed. Then again, I don’t fully have enough context to know how much of a faux pas this was.

Clearly this was all done with Pakistan’s permission, so what exactly was the emergency that necessitated entering Pakistani airspace? Was there no space to hold on the other side of the border, or is there a disconnect between the alleged airspace closure, and how things really work?

Bottom line

An Air India pilot and an air traffic controller are in trouble, after an Airbus A321 entered Pakistani airspace while holding near Amritsar’s airport. Pakistan’s airspace is closed to airlines of India, though the plane entered the airspace with the permission of Pakistani air traffic controllers.

The main issue here seems to be that the pilot and air traffic controller didn’t file a report about what happened, rather than the “marginal” airspace infringement as such… though that may have also resulted in some serious punishment?

What do you make of this Air India Pakistani airspace situation?

SWISS serving Frau Hund’s “Bastardo” hot dog in first class

SWISS is known for having a rotating seasonal menu with different options. Some times of the year you’ll find caviar. Other times of the year you’ll find truffles. And this summer, you’ll find… hot dogs?!

Yesterday, the airline put out a video on social media about this, promoting how it’s serving Frau Hund’s “Bastardo” hot dog, claiming it’s “served with all the care and elegance of a First Class meal, because why should classics be any different up here?” This is available through September 1, 2026, on all SWISS first class flights departing Switzerland.

The airline has shared the story of this collaboration, as it was SWISS that approached Frau Hund. I’m not a hot dog fan, so I can’t pretend to be too familiar with the backstory, but the claim is that the people behind Frau Hund are trained chefs who wanted to elevate a product that “has a bit of a bad reputation in society, or at least one where quality offerings have been hard to find.”

A lot of thought was then put into which product is best to be served onboard, given preparation requirements, etc.:

A product developed for a takeout kiosk has to be rethought for the cabin, at least in part. The first instinct was to bring the “Deutsche Dogge” on board, one of the classics in the Frau Hund lineup. But the product developers at Gate Gourmet flagged that something lighter would be better suited for flying. No problem: Frau Hund put forward another hot dog from their menu: the “Bastardo,” topped with coleslaw, apple chutney, sour cream, and roasted walnuts.

The product itself remained untouched. Sausage, bun, toppings, all prepared to the original recipe. What did need to be adjusted was the cut in the bun. During the tasting, Gate Gourmet’s recreation was an immediate hit in terms of flavor, but the plating raised concerns: the hot dog, which comes in a cardboard box at Frau Hund, kept tipping over on the SWISS First porcelain plate and could not be presented cleanly. For Chris and Alex, that was no small detail. “If the hot dog is smeared and things are falling out, that’s not our standard,” says Chris. The solution was pragmatic: an adjusted cut so the hot dog stands upright and can be plated neatly and appetizingly even in the SWISS First setting. “After that, all our doubts were gone.”

The same hot dog, a different setting – and that is precisely the point. “It matters to us that a hot dog can be something different,” says Chris. Many people have a cheap kiosk hot dog in mind. Frau Hund wants to show that there is another way: with carefully selected ingredients, with care and attention, with a result that genuinely surprises. The fact that this ambition now reaches people at 35,000 feet is proof that the idea was right from the very beginning.

This isn’t for me, but I appreciate the concept

This hot dog concept absolutely isn’t for me. I don’t eat pork (I love pigs too much!), and I’m also a quasi-pescatarian, and only rarely eat meat (and consistently stay away from processed meat).

So personally, this isn’t something I’d order. That being said, I commend SWISS for the concept:

• I love when airlines highlight local dishes on their menus, which reflect the culture of the home country
• It’s clear that a lot of thought went into how this hot dog is served, and this is also an elevated version of a hot dog (even if I can’t make sense of some of the ingredients, like sour cream and walnuts)
• This clearly isn’t about trying to cut costs, but instead, it’s about investing in something that’s unique and quirky
• This is only one of the many things on the menu, so this is only for those who really want a hot dog, in addition to everything else that’s available
• A lot of airline passengers do like comfort food, so I imagine a good number of people will order this

Personally, I’ll be waiting for SWISS’ seasonal first class caviar tasting. 😉

Bottom line

SWISS is mixing things up with its first class menu this summer, as the airline is serving Frau Hund’s “Bastardo” hot dog in first class, on all flights departing Switzerland through September 1, 2026. While a hot dog isn’t what you’d expect in first class, SWISS is very much acknowledging that, while highlighting the effort that goes into this dish, and how that’s the concept of Frau Hund in the first place — taking a dish that’s not typically thought of as “fancy,” and elevating it.

While I would have no interest in this if flying SWISS first class, I still respect the concept the airline is going for, and think this is creative.

What do you make of SWISS’ unique first class meal option? Would you order this if flying in first class?

Air Canada flight diverts to Boston after captain has seizure

This incident happened on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and involves Air Canada flight AC7664, scheduled to operate from Newark (EWR) to Halifax (YHZ). The flight was marketed as Air Canada Express, operating on behalf of regional partner PAL Airlines, and it was flown by a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 with the registration code C-GPOE.

The plane took off at 12:54PM local time, expecting to have a routine 613-mile flight to the northeast. However, around 30 minutes after takeoff, as the plane reached an altitude of around 23,000 feet, the captain became incapacitated, and was reportedly having a seizure. According to a passenger on the flight:

“The moment the plane swerved, I knew something was wrong because it was not turbulence. It really felt like someone had jilted the controls and then it happened over and over again. And, you know, every thought goes through your mind, you start praying. My boys instantly started praying.”

“One of the flight attendants entered the cockpit frantically and a few moments later, he was dragging one of the pilots out of the cockpit onto the aisle way of the airplane.”

At that point the plane began an emergency diversion to Boston (BOS), where it landed at 1:56PM local time, just over an hour after departure. Once on the ground, the plane stopped on the taxiway, and the captain was met by first responders, who brought him to the hospital. Hopefully he makes a full recovery.

The ATC audio with the first officer is worth a listen

Massive credit goes to the first officer of this flight, for how professionally and calmly he handled this situation. Admittedly pilots are trained so that they can fly an aircraft alone in such circumstances, so he was doing what he needed to do.

However, I can only imagine the level of panic one feels, not because they’re exclusively in charge of the flight, but more because the person next to them suddenly becomes incapacitated. But this guy was an absolute pro, and the air traffic control audio below really paints a picture of that.

He remained calm, and he did things in the right order for pilots — aviate, navigate, and communicate. He told the controllers to stand by when he needed to focus on other tasks, and he also erred on the side of caution, rejecting a last minute runway change, since obviously he wanted to be prepared for the possibility of a go around, etc.

As we increasingly see talk of the possibility of flights eventually moving to having just one pilot, this is a good reminder of the importance of having two pilots, when something like this happens. Admittedly the systems being proposed have some redundancies, but if a plane starts “swerving” because someone at the controls is having a seizure, that’s where a second pilot is worth their weight in gold.

I hope this first officer gets the recognition he deserves for his stellar performance under pressure. And of course while I don’t know how many flight hours he had, one assumes that a first officer on a turboprop of a regional subsidiary isn’t that senior, so I imagine this was the most eventful thing to happen in his career so far.

Bottom line

An Air Canada flight operated by PAL Airlines suffered an emergency shortly after takeoff from Newark, when the captain became incapacitated. He was removed from the flight deck and taken care of by passengers and the crew, while the first officer focused on getting the plane safely on the ground. He did a fantastic job handling this stressful situation, so kudos to him. Here’s to hoping the captain makes a quick and full recovery.

What do you make of this captain incapacitation and subsequent diversion?

We constantly hear stories of security issues at hotels, but in a vast majority of cases, it’s situations that were very easily preventible. So let’s talk more specifically about that, as I’m also curious to hear how others handle this kind of stuff. And so that I don’t bury the lede, let me say the most obvious thing, which somehow seems to be the root of so many issues — always use the deadbolt when you’re in your room!

The basic safety precautions I take in hotel rooms

When it comes to hotels, I’ve written in the past about my hotel habits (from the logical to irrational), my housekeeping habits and strategy, and my biggest hotel pet peeves. So, how does security factor into all of this?

My hotel safety precautions are pretty simple:

• When I first arrive at my hotel room after checking in, I enter the room slowly, and say something like “hello,” as I’ve (on more than one occasion) been given a key to a room that was already occupied
• I do a quick walk through of the room, including checking the closets, under the bed, etc.; however, that’s perhaps partly more paranoia than anything rational, and it’s the same reason I’m sort of scared of “haunted” hotels
• I discard the little “pouch” in which the hotel gives me the key, so that if I lose my key, no one will know which room I’m in; instead, I either write down my room number in a note on my phone, or take a picture of the door
• If I get a weird feeling about someone in the elevator or like they’re following me, I’ll just go somewhere else, and not go straight to my room
• I place items in the in-room safe, but I don’t assume that’s completely safe either, because it can also be broken into, if it’s an inside job
• I always use the deadbolt when I’m in the room, whether I’m awake or asleep; always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always
• If I’m in a room with a connecting door, I always make sure that’s properly locked; I had one situation where the doors were unlocked on both sides, and then just opened mid-stay

In theory, I think the above precautions do the trick. I think using the deadbolt is the single most important thing you can do.

Let me of course acknowledge that I’m a male traveler, and I realize that female travelers often face more challenges and risks, so it’s even more important for them to be vigilant. I also know that some people are concerned about secret cameras being set up in rooms. That’s not something I’m worried about (have at it!), but I understand why others may be.

It’s also worth emphasizing that you should take different levels of precautions based on where in the world you are. Like, I’m much less concerned about hotel room safety in a place like Japan than in a place like… well, take your pick.

One last point — here’s a precaution I probably should take, but don’t. We’ve seen a fair number of stories over the years of people dying in hotels due to carbon monoxide poisoning. That can easily be counteracted by buying a cheap carbon monoxide meter, which can give quite a bit of peace of mind.

What’s reassuring about hotel safety, and what isn’t

If you ask me, there are some things that are reassuring about hotel room safety. There are typically limited entry and exit points in hotels, there are security cameras around the hallway, and there’s limited upside to someone breaking in and stealing something (since there’s usually not that much to steal). You’re also typically in close proximity to others, so a loud scream would be heard more easily than in other scenarios.

At the same time, the increased risk in hotels is that there are many people with master keys, who can potentially access all rooms. That’s why always using the deadbolt when you’re in the room is so important.

If you use the deadbolt in your room, I tend to think that addresses 90% of potential concerns. All too often we hear of someone walking in on another person sleeping in a hotel room, that happens when the deadbolt isn’t being used.

I tend to think that a vast majority of the other risks at hotels are similar to what you might find elsewhere. For example, having someone spike your drink at the hotel bar, having someone steal something from you out in the open, inviting someone with bad intentions to your room, etc.

Bottom line

It’s important to take basic safety precautions at hotels. I tend to think that simply using the deadbolt while in the room covers 90% of the potential risks, since the most common hotel crime we hear of is someone accessing a room with a master key, or something.

There are some other basic precautions I take, but I tend to think that the deadbolt is the single most important thing. Despite that, so many people don’t use it…

I’m curious how you guys feel about hotel room security — is it something that crosses your mind, and if so, what precautions do you take?

On the points & travel front, this week Ryanair updated its family seating policy, Wyndham Rewards announced award chart changes, Hilton came up with a new way to deny Diamond members lounge access, Southwest started rolling out Starlink Wi-Fi, we learned more details about the Delta One Lounge Atlanta, and more.

With that out of the way, here’s a recap of this week on the blog:

Over time, we’ve seen Chase update its eligibility requirements for these cards, including what’s needed to unlock the bonuses. Long story short, each of these cards has a “once in a lifetime” rule for that exact product, meaning you can earn the bonus on each card once, but not multiple times. In this post I’d like to talk about that in a bit more detail, in case you’re interested in applying for one of these cards.

Link: Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card, or Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

Chase Sapphire card bonus offers & rule basics

Before I get into the details, let me cover the very basics upfront. As it currently stands (these rules do change every so often), the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Sapphire Reserve Business, are considered totally independently when it comes to eligibility, including for the bonus:

• Each card has a “once in a lifetime” rule, so you’re only eligible for the welcome bonus on the card if you haven’t had that exact in the past
• That being said, each card is considered independently, so you could potentially pick up all three cards, including the bonuses

Why would you want to pick up these cards? Well, beyond the ongoing value they offer (in terms of perks, return on spending, etc.), the cards also offer absolutely massive welcome bonuses, which makes picking them up a no-brainer, if eligible:

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred currently has a welcome offer of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 within the first three months
• The Chase Sapphire Reserve currently has a welcome offer of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $6,000 within the first three months
• The Sapphire Reserve Business currently has a welcome offer of 200,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $30,000 within the first six months

I value Ultimate Rewards points at 1.7 cents each, so to me, those bonuses are worth $1,700 to $3,400, which is pretty incredible.

Chase Sapphire card eligibility requirements

There are often questions about what it takes to get approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Sapphire Reserve Business, so let’s discuss the main things to consider before applying for one or more of these cards, to try and figure out if you’re eligible. The below considerations are the main reasons you may be denied for the card, so let’s go over each of those.

What credit score do you need for a Chase Sapphire card?

There’s not a consistent rule as to what credit score you need to be approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Sapphire Reserve Business, as credit score is one of only many considerations when being approved for a card. In general, I’d recommend having a credit score in the “good” to “excellent” category if you’re going to apply for one of these cards.

Personally, I probably wouldn’t apply if my credit score were under 700, and ideally, I’d hope to have a credit score of 740 or higher. That being said, people with scores lower than that have been approved, and conversely, people with scores higher than that have been rejected. There are lots of factors that go into approval — your income, your credit history, how much credit Chase has already extended you, etc.

See this post for more on how credit scores work, and how they’re calculated.

Are you under Chase’s 5/24 limit? It may not matter…

Chase has what’s known as the 5/24 rule, whereby you may not be approved for a Chase card if you’ve opened five or more new card accounts in the past 24 months. This is also all the more reason to pick up the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Sapphire Reserve Business, early in your credit card journey.

However, do note that many data points suggest that this rule is no longer consistently enforced. So it’s something to be aware of, but it’s not necessarily going to be a dealbreaker. There are lots of reports of people being approved despite having exceeded that limit (and also reports of people not having such luck).

See this post for the details on the 5/24 rule, including how to check your “status.”

Are you eligible for the welcome bonus, based on vague rules?

For the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve, you’ll find the following terms with the application:

This credit card is unavailable to you if you currently have one open. The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you previously held this card or received a new cardmember bonus for this card. We may also consider the number of cards you have opened and closed in determining your bonus eligibility.

So as you can see:

• You’re not eligible to be approved for the card if you currently have one open
• You may not be eligible for the welcome bonus if you previously had that exact card; however, it’s fine if you had another card, like if you have the Sapphire Preferred already, and are applying for the Sapphire Reserve

Meanwhile for the Sapphire Reserve Business, you’ll find the following terms with the application:

The new cardmember bonus may not be available to you if you have ever had this card. We may also consider factors pertinent to your business in determining your bonus eligibility.

As you can see, there’s no limit on actually getting approved for the card, but if you’ve had this card in the past, you may not be eligible for the bonus. However, eligibility is unrelated to having any other Chase business card.

Note that if you’re the authorized user on someone else’s Sapphire credit card, you’re still eligible to get it for yourself. Eligibility is determined based on whether you’re the primary cardmember.

Do you receive a pop-up during the application process?

Based on the published terms, it’s a bit open-ended whether you’re eligible for the welcome offer on cards in some situations, based on the use of “may.” In other words, if you’ve had a specific card in the past, Chase says you “may” not be eligible for the bonus.

One good thing is that when you apply for one of the cards, the application should indicate whether you’re eligible for the welcome bonus or not. This notice will be provided without the need for a hard or soft pull. For those curious, here’s what the pop-up looks like, if you’re not eligible for the welcome offer on a card:

A quick update about your application

It looks like you’re not eligible for a bonus for a [card name]. This can happen if you’ve already held or received a bonus for this credit card. We haven’t done a credit check yet, so there will be no impact to your score if you don’t continue.

How would you like to proceed?

• Continue without the bonus
• Cancel my application (no impact to credit score)

Do you meet Chase’s other card application restrictions?

While the above are the most significant restrictions to be aware of, there are some other general Chase card application rules to be familiar with. Most significantly, you can be approved for at most two Chase cards every 30 days, so I’d limit your overall Chase applications before trying to pick up a Sapphire card.

See this post for Chase’s general credit card application rules.

Chase Sapphire card application & approval FAQs

To answer some of the frequently asked questions when it comes to applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Sapphire Reserve Business…

Is it hard to get approved for a Chase Sapphire card?

Yes and no. There’s nothing that makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve in particular hard to be approved for, but rather Chase is among the tougher issues to get an approval from. However, that’s mainly just because of the 5/24 rule, and that Chase anecdotally seems to prefer customers with established credit.

If you have a good credit score, a fair amount of credit history, and you’re under the 5/24 limit, you have good odds of getting approved for the card. Even if you’re over 5/24, you may still have good odds.

How long does it take to get approved for a Chase Sapphire card?

Approvals on Chase credit cards could be instant, they could take a few days, or they could take a couple of weeks. In general I find that Chase doesn’t issue too many instant approvals, so don’t be worried if you get a pending decision answer when you apply. That doesn’t at all mean you’re likely to be rejected.

What is the minimum credit line for a Chase Sapphire card?

If you’re approved, the Chase Sapphire Preferred will have a minimum credit line of $5,000, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve will have a minimum credit line of $10,000. That’s because the former is a Visa Signature while the latter is a Visa Infinite, and those are the minimum credit lines extended to those products.

Which credit bureau does Chase pull from?

If you apply for a Chase Sapphire product, there’s not a single credit bureau that Chase always pulls from. It could be Equifax, Experian, or Transunion, depending on a variety of factors.

Is it bad for your credit score if you get denied for a card?

What are the negative impacts of applying for a credit card and getting denied? The only downside is that there’s a new inquiry on your credit file, which could temporarily ding your score by a few points. While everyone’s situation is different, personally I wouldn’t consider that to be a big issue, as losing a few points temporarily shouldn’t have major implications.

Meanwhile getting approved for the card and using it responsibly could have a very positive impact on your credit score, by improving your total available credit, history of on-time payments, credit utilization, etc.

If you get denied for a Chase Sapphire card, can you apply again?

You sure can. If you’ve gotten denied for any Chase Sapphire product in the past, you could apply again. Just because you get denied once doesn’t mean you’ll be denied again, especially if aspects of your credit worthiness have improved (for example, if your credit score went up, the number of cards you opened in the past two years went down, etc.).

Should you get the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve?

Many people try to decide between the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. The Sapphire Preferred is one of the best low annual fee cards, while the Sapphire Reserve is one of the best premium credit cards.

There are pros and cons to both cards. The Sapphire Preferred is great for its reasonable annual, generous rewards structure, and travel and rental car coverage. The Sapphire Reserve is valuable for its perks, including the $300 annual travel credit, Priority Pass™ Select membership, Chase Sapphire Lounge access, and much more. See this post for a comparison of the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve.

Should you get the Sapphire Reserve personal or business?

If you’re trying to decide between the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve Business, which card is better? The cards have a lot of overlap, with the main differences being that the personal card has more comprehensive lounge access, the two cards have different bonus categories, and the credits are also somewhat different.

I think there’s potentially merit to either card, as there are also lots of reasons the Sapphire Reserve Business makes sense. See this post for a comparison of the Sapphire Reserve personal and business.

Are other Chase cards easier to be approved for?

All Chase credit cards are subjected to the same general rules. That being said, Chase does seem to have slightly different approval standards for different cards.

For example, anecdotally I find that the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (learn more) is among the easier travel credit cards issued by Chase to be approved for. Why is that? On co-brand cards, Chase works with partners to analyze the customer base they’re going after, and that could impact requirements to get approved.

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Sapphire Reserve Business, are all lucrative cards. It’s worth understanding the eligibility requirements associated with each of these cards, including the welcome bonuses.

Nowadays the cards have pretty straightforward eligibility requirements for the bonuses. Generally you’re eligible for the welcome bonus on a particular card if you haven’t had that exact card before. Given the huge bonuses on these cards, there’s a major incentive to pick up one of these cards, if eligible.

Hopefully the above answers the question of who is eligible for Chase Sapphire cards. If anyone has any other questions on Chase Sapphire card approval, please let me know.

What has your experience been with being approved for the Chase Sapphire cards?

In addition to checking out the Lufthansa First Class Lounge Frankfurt, I also visited the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt, which I’ll review in this installment. I don’t know how many dozens of times I’ve visited the lounge over the years. While very little has changed about this facility since it opened in 2004 (aside from some minor cosmetic updates), it continues to be a special place.

The lounge actually doesn’t have that many frills — it feels pretty sterile, and it doesn’t have any standout amenities. However, what it offers is incredible convenience, and the ability to skip the main terminal altogether, assuming you’re originating in Frankfurt, along with guaranteed limousine service to the plane. While I wish Lufthansa would make the first class ground experience more seamless for connecting passengers, this is still an all-around awesome experience.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt location

The key selling point of the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt is its location, and how it’s completely separate from the terminal. If you’re originating in Frankfurt and driving to the airport, just be on the lookout for the ramp on the right side as you approach the terminal, as it can be easy to miss. In particular, if you’re in a rideshare, make sure you emphasize the turn, because otherwise they’ll probably drop you off at the terminal, even if you pin the destination correctly.

If you do happen to be in Terminal 1 (either because you’re arriving by train, or because you’re coming off a connecting flight, and want to visit the First Class Terminal anyway), just go to the arrivals level (of course after clearing passport control), and exit the terminal.

When you exit the terminal, turn left, and walk along the outside roadway.

You’ll then walk past the taxi stand, which has dozens of taxis waiting, so keep walking.

Eventually you’ll see a crosswalk, with the First Class Terminal in the distance.

Then there’s a gate, and you’ll just want to go up to the door on the lower level, where you’ll find an elevator that will take you up a floor.

Once you’re on the upper level, you’ll be in the main welcome area of the First Class Terminal, which is the same level where you’d arrive by car. There, one of the personal assistants (PAs) will greet you, confirm you’re eligible for access, and immediately bring you through security (check-in is taken care of later, so it’s all very seamless).

One of the awesome things about the First Class Terminal is that it has its own dedicated security checkpoint (and immigration before you depart, if you’re leaving to the non-Schengen zone), so it’s all much more relaxed and less crowded than in the main terminal.

Obviously the greatest convenience is if you’re actually originating in Frankfurt. However, even if you’re coming off a flight and want to trek over to the First Class Terminal, it’s only about a five minute walk once you’re in the arrivals area, so it’s not very far.

Sometimes it’s nice to get a few steps between flights. That being said, the First Class Terminal and First Class Lounge are very similar, and in many ways I prefer the Lufthansa First Class Lounge for the views, and sometimes less crowding. The advantage of the First Class Terminal is that you consistently get driven to the plane, so everyone can decide for themselves how they value those relative pros and cons.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt hours

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt is currently open daily from 5:30AM until 10PM, covering virtually all Lufthansa departures from the airport.

As you’d expect, the First Class Terminal tends to be busiest mid-morning and early afternoon, before and after the bank of transatlantic flights, since that makes up a majority of Lufthansa’s long haul network with first class. However, the lounge does also tend to get pretty busy with HON Circle members traveling regionally, so expect it to be busy on Monday mornings, Thursday evenings, etc.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt entry requirements

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt can be accessed primarily under two circumstances:

• By flying Lufthansa first class or SWISS first class the same day; it’s fine if you’re connecting onto a regional flight after a flight in Lufthansa or SWISS first class, as long as you arrived the same day, and are departing on a Lufthansa Group airline
• By being a Lufthansa Miles & More HON Circle member taking any same-day departing flight on a Lufthansa Group airline; this is Lufthansa’s top tier status, with very high qualification requirements

There are two differences in the rules between Lufthansa First Class Lounge access and Lufthansa First Class Terminal access:

• Lufthansa First Class Lounges can also be used as arrivals lounges, so you can use it after a flight, with no onward connection; the same isn’t true of the First Class Terminal
• HON Circle members can use the Lufthansa First Class Lounge when departing on any Star Alliance flight, while they can only use the First Class Terminal when departing on a Lufthansa Group flight

Since most OMAAT readers are going to be accessing the Lufthansa FCT based on a same-day Lufthansa first class ticket, let me share a couple lounge access examples:

• You do get access to the FCT if you fly Lufthansa first class from the United States to Frankfurt, and then connect from Frankfurt the same day in economy or business class; however, you wouldn’t get access if you choose to spend a night in Frankfurt before your connection
• You do get access to the FCT if you fly Lufthansa first class from the United States to Frankfurt, and connect same day on any Lufthansa Group flight; however, you wouldn’t get access if you connect on other airlines, like Air India, United, etc. (then you could use the Lufthansa First Class Lounge)

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt seating & layout

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal covers a space of roughly 1,800 square meters (19,400 square feet), though it’s not necessarily as big as it sounds. That’s because this includes spaces like the check-in area, the lower level where you’ll be driven to the plane, etc. I’d estimate that the actual usable lounge space is closer to half of that size.

The airside portion of the Lufthansa First Class Terminal is set along one main corridor, which you’ll find below, and that should give you a good sense of the size of the lounge.

Essentially the side of the lounge closest to the windows is made up of several seating “clusters,” each with comfortable leather chairs. If the lounge isn’t too full, each passenger typically gets an entire “living room area” to themselves, while otherwise, it will be shared with others.

Along the windows you’ll also find rows of chairs with ottomans facing outside, which are sometimes a good place to hang out if you’re traveling alone, and the lounge is full.

Speaking of the seats facing the windows, this is probably the most disappointing part of the First Class Terminal. There are no actual views of the apron or of planes, but instead, you just look at the crew center, where the Lufthansa crews board the buses that take them to the planes. That’s a major advantage of both of the Lufthansa First Class Lounges in the terminal.

So while the space closest to the windows is made up mostly of “traditional” lounge seating, all the other amenities are along the interior of the lounge. If you enter the lounge and turn left, you’ll find five individual workstations, each with their own doors. It’s a feature I appreciate, because there are so many lounges where there’s no seating that’s conducive to actually being productive.

Next, you’ll find the bar area, which is where all drinks are served from. This includes high-top seating, as well as an extra table with communal seating.

Then there’s the dining area, which has well over a dozen tables, and that’s where both the buffet and a la carte selection are available (more on that later).

In the corner of the lounge you’ll then find a large cigar lounge, which is among the most civilized smoking facilities that you’ll find in any lounge.

A few more things about the First Class Terminal worth noting. First of all, it was only a couple of years ago that I learned the lounge has a play area for kids. It’s hidden behind the bar, and we were directed there when flying Lufthansa first class with our son. It’s a super cute airplane themed area, so kudos to Lufthansa for that (and it’s far enough from the main part of the lounge that you can make noise without disrupting others).

The lounge also has a duty free shop, which has some cool Lufthansa and aviation themed gifts, so it’s always worth taking a look.

Next, across from the duty free shop is the Lufthansa first class duck display. While the display looks “grander” than in the past, it’s disappointing that they only have the same ducks on display. In the past, they displayed all the ducks that have been produced over the years, which I always thought was so cool. I’m not sure if someone did a smash & grab (it wasn’t me, as tempted as I am!), or what happened there.

Speaking of ducks, keep in mind Lufthansa’s quirky first class duck concept. When you visit the Lufthansa First Class Terminal (or any Lufthansa First Class Lounge), be sure to ask for your rubber duck. They are collectibles and change over time, though sadly during my visit they were just offering the generic silver one, which isn’t terribly exciting.

One last thing I’d like to mention — I really feel like the Lufthansa First Class Terminal (and other Lufthansa lounges, for that matter), need some ambient music. The FCT is just so quiet that you could hear a pin drip, and I kind of hate that. I’m not asking for anything radical or distracting, but just something like what you find in Delta One Lounges would be awesome.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt food & drinks

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt has both a buffet and a la carte selection, and you’ll find basically an identical selection in the Lufthansa First Class Lounges in the main terminal. I visited in the morning, when breakfast was being served.

I found the food options to be good, with all kinds of yogurts, pastries, fresh fruit, veggies, dips, cold cuts, cheese, and of course the world famous pretzels.

In addition to the buffet, there’s also a menu that can be ordered off of, and you can find both the breakfast and all-day menu below, along with the special asparagus options (since that was the seasonal selection). I’m sorry for the picture quality, but the menus are in this book that’s really hard to photograph, due to how it’s bound at the top.

My dad and I decided to split the acai bowl, the pancakes, and the Asian breakfast, all of which were quite good, but nothing memorable (not that breakfast typically is).

While it fits more in the snack category than proper food category, you’ll also find little self-serve sweet and savory snack options throughout the lounge.

All drinks are served by staff, who generally roam the lounge and proactively see if guests want anything.

You can find the Lufthansa First Class Terminal drink list below.

I had a cappuccino or two while hanging out in the main area of the lounge, and that was excellent, and was barista made.

One other thing worth mentioning is that in celebration of Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary, there were a bunch of celebratory things, ranging from signage, to cake, to cupcakes. Lufthansa sure is trying to make a big deal of it.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt nap rooms

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt has two nap rooms, which is a feature you’ll also find in the Lufthansa First Class Lounges in Frankfurt. Each room has a reasonably well padded twin size bed. So while there are no individual bathrooms in these rooms, or anything like that, it’s great to be able to get some shuteye, if you have a long layover.

These are available on a first come, first served basis, and there’s no minimum or maximum amount of time you can use these.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt bathrooms & showers

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt has a solid bathroom setup, located at the very end of the lounge, past the cigar lounge area. There’s a desk there, with a representative in case you want to take a shower, and there are also extra amenities available there.

The men’s room has some sinks with proper cloth hand towels. The actual bathrooms offer quite a bit of privacy, as each little room has both a toilet and a urinal.

In addition to that, there are several shower suites, and one of them even has a bathtub, so be sure to request that one, if it interests you. I took a shower in the lounge, but the one with the bathtub wasn’t available.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt limousine service

Lufthansa is known for its first class limousine service, and passengers departing the First Class Terminal are the only ones who consistently receive this service, regardless of what flight they’re departing on, given that the FCT isn’t connected to the rest of the airport.

So when it’s time to depart, you’ll be directed to the airside elevator going to the lower level.

There you’ll first go to the immigration officer who is seated on the right (assuming you’re departing the Schengen zone). Then you’ll be handed over from the PA to the driver, who will drive you to the plane.

Nowadays Lufthansa partners with Sixt on its first class limousine service, and you’ll typically either get a BMW i7 or Mercedes-Benz V-Class. The former is typically offered if you’re traveling alone or as a couple, while the latter is offered if you’re traveling as a group.

Note that the limousine service will often be shared with others, assuming they’re also in the FCT and headed to the same flight.

In our case, we lucked out with a private BMW i7, so that was our lovely ride to the plane.

I must say, as an aviation geek, being driven across the apron never gets old, and is such a treat.

After a lengthy ride we arrived at the Airbus A340-600 that would be flying us to New York. Since you’re on the apron level, you then take an elevator up a level to get to the jet bridge, and are then handed over to the crew.

While Lufthansa’s A340-600 is hardly a cutting edge plane, I realized as I boarded that this would probably be my last flight on this aircraft type, since Lufthansa is expected to retire the plane by next year, and not many airlines fly this plane anymore (at least outside of Iran).

Bottom line

The Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt is easily one of the world’s most famous airport lounges, and for good reason, as it’s truly completely separate from the terminal. While the lounge is a bit sterile, there’s no denying that it’s incredibly convenient when originating in Frankfurt, given the private security checkpoint and limousine to the car.

While there aren’t any crazy frills, the lounge is very functional, between the workstations, nap rooms, cigar lounge, a la carte dining, and solid shower suites.

While I’m a huge fan of this lounge, I will say two things. First, I wouldn’t necessarily arrive that early to use it, since it’s not like there’s actually that much to do. Second, if connecting in Frankfurt, I don’t necessarily think there’s that much advantage to visiting the Lufthansa First Class Terminal over the Lufthansa First Class Lounge, and the latter even has some advantages, like views.

What’s your take on the Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt?

I think both cards can make sense for certain consumers, but given how different they are, it’s worth understanding which card is better for your situation. In this post, I’d like to compare the two cards across a variety of factors.

For context, I carry the Sapphire Reserve rather than the Sapphire Preferred, and I carry the Venture X rather than the Venture, so I’m in both of the card ecosystems, and understand the perks. In the past, I also had the Sapphire Preferred and Venture, but found it worthwhile to upgrade to the more premium cards over time.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture at a glance

Here’s the quick version before we get into the details. Both cards charge the same annual fee, so the real differences are the welcome offer, how you earn, and the credits you’ll actually use.

Welcome bonuses: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Chase Sapphire Preferred: The card offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 within the first three months.

At a minimum, Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for one cent each toward the cost of a travel purchase (potentially way more), giving the 100,000 points a minimum value of $1,000. However, I value them significantly more than that, at 1.7 cents each, meaning the bonus is worth $1,700 to me.

Capital One Venture: The card offers a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months. Personally I value Capital One miles at 1.7 cents each, so to me those miles are worth a massive $1,275.

Winner: Both cards offer strong bonuses, but the Sapphire Preferred comes out well ahead here, at $1,700 versus $1,275, by my valuations. The Venture’s lower $4,000 spending requirement is worth noting if the Sapphire Preferred’s $5,000 would be a stretch.

Approval odds: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Chase Sapphire Preferred: For those very involved in miles & points, getting approved for the Sapphire Preferred can be challenging. It’s subjected to the 5/24 rule, meaning you may not be approved if you’ve opened five or more new card accounts in the past 24 months, though anecdotally this rule is no longer consistently enforced. Beyond that, the welcome bonus is once per lifetime on this exact card, and you can’t be approved if you currently have it open.

Capital One Venture: The Capital One Venture bonus isn’t available to those who have or have had the card, though you are eligible if you’ve had any other Capital One card, including the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (learn more).

Winner: It depends on your exact situation, but I think more people will be locked out by the Sapphire Preferred rules than the Venture Card rules. See here for a full comparison of credit card application rules.

Annual fee: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Chase Sapphire Preferred: The card has a $95 annual fee.

Capital One Venture: The card has a $95 annual fee.

Winner: This is a tie, as both cards have the same annual fee. That said, the Sapphire Preferred’s $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit can more than offset its fee on its own, which effectively tips the ongoing cost math in its favor if you’d use that credit.

Value of points: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Chase Sapphire Preferred: Points earned on this card can be redeemed in two primary ways:

• They can be redeemed for at least one cent each toward the cost of a travel purchase through Chase Travel℠, or up to 1.75 cents with Points Boost
• They can be transferred to Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partners, most at a 1:1 ratio (World of Hyatt transfers at 4:3 on this card as of June 2026, while the Sapphire Reserve keeps 1:1), which can get you outsized value

Ultimate Rewards partners include the below (along with transfer ratios and times).

Capital One Venture: Miles earned on this card can be redeemed in two primary ways:

• They can be redeemed for one cent each toward the cost of a travel purchase, either by having a purchase reimbursed, or by booking through the Capital One Travel Portal
• They can be transferred to Capital One airline and hotel partners, generally at a ratio of 1:1

Capital One partners include the below (along with transfer ratios and times).

Winner: Nowadays I value both Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Capital One miles equally. Both programs have excellent transfer partners. Each side also has its non-1:1 exceptions, like Hyatt at 4:3 on the Chase side for this card, and a few partners, such as EVA Air, JetBlue, and Accor on the Capital One side.

Ability to earn points: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Chase Sapphire Preferred: The card offers 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel, 3x points on dining, online groceries, select streaming services, gas stations, EV charging, and vacation rentals, 2x points on travel, and 1x Ultimate Rewards points on all other purchases.

At a minimum, this means that long-term the card is earning a return of at least 3% on dining, online groceries, select streaming services, gas stations, EV charging, and vacation rentals, a return of 2% on travel, and a return of 1% on other purchases (based on the ability to redeem points for one cent each).

You can potentially get a lot more value than that, though. For example, I value Ultimate Rewards points at 1.7 cents each (thanks to the transfer ratio for travel partners), so based on my valuation you’re getting a return of 5.1% on dining, online groceries, select streaming services, gas stations, EV charging, and vacation rentals, 3.4% on travel, and 1.7% on everything else. However, not everyone should value points the way I do, especially if you just plan to redeem them as cash toward the cost of a travel purchase.

Capital One Venture: The card offers 2x miles on all purchases.

At a minimum, this means the card is earning a return of 2% on all purchases (based on the ability to redeem miles for one cent each toward travel purchases). But you also have the opportunity to earn 2x airline miles per dollar spent, and based on my valuation of 1.7 cents per Capital One mile, that’s like a ~3.4% return on everyday spending, which is excellent.

Winner: It very much depends on how much you spend on dining, online groceries, and travel, and how you plan on redeeming your points. The Venture Card offers 2x miles per dollar spent, while the Sapphire Preferred offers 3x points on dining (and more), 2x points on travel, and 1x points on other purchases. For everyday spending, the Venture Card is no doubt better, especially if you want to transfer rewards to an airline or hotel partner. That said, the Sapphire Preferred’s June 2026 additions (gas stations, EV charging, and vacation rentals) meaningfully widen its 3x points footprint, so the gap closes quite a bit if those are big categories for you.

Perks: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture

Chase Sapphire Preferred: The card has no foreign transaction fees, great travel and purchase protection, primary rental car coverage, a $100 hotel credit every cardmember year (doubled in June 2026), an up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit once every four years, a complimentary year of Apple TV (activation required by December 31, 2026), and more.

Capital One Venture: The card has no foreign transaction fees, great travel and purchase protection, rental car coverage, and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every four years, which can be used to cover anyone’s membership fee as long as it’s charged to the card.

Winner: Personally I think the Chase Sapphire Preferred has the edge for the car rental coverage and superior travel protection, and now also for the bigger stack of credits. With the Sapphire Preferred adding its own Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credit in June 2026, that perk is no longer a point of differentiation for the Venture. Thankfully, both cards have no foreign transaction fees.

The potential Chase Sapphire Preferred “X-factor”

Before getting to my conclusion, it’s important to call out one thing that makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred unique. There are many ways to use the Sapphire Preferred to maximize the value you get out of your Ultimate Rewards points. That’s because you can pool points you earn on the Chase Sapphire Preferred with some other awesome Chase cards:

• The Chase Freedom Flex℠ (learn more) has no annual fee and offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, for up to $1,500 of spending per quarter, plus 3x points on dining and drugstores
• The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (learn more) has no annual fee and offers 1.5x points on all purchases, plus 3x points on dining and drugstores
• The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (learn more) has no annual fee and offers 5x points on the first $25,000 of combined purchases per cardmember year on office supply stores, internet, cable TV, mobile phones, and landlines, and 2x points on the first $25,000 of combined purchases per cardmember year on restaurants and gas stations
• The Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (learn more) has no annual fee and offers a flat 1.5x points on all business purchases
• The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (learn more) has a $95 annual fee and offers 3x points on the first $150,000 spent each cardmember year on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines

As you can see, these cards are all great complements that can greatly increase the pace at which you earn Ultimate Rewards points. For example, if you pair the Chase Sapphire Preferred with the no annual fee Chase Freedom Unlimited you’d earn 3x points on dining, online groceries, streaming services, gas stations, EV charging, vacation rentals, and drugstores, 2x points on travel, and 1.5x points on all other purchases, which is an incredible rewards structure with a single $95 annual fee.

Of course, this assumes that you’re willing to get multiple cards, which some people aren’t.

The Capital One Venture has a straightforward points structure without many bonus categories, and there are some limited opportunities to pair it with other cards. For example, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (learn more) is a rewarding cash back card that offers 3% cash back on dining, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), entertainment, and popular streaming services.

If you have both the Venture and Savor, then you can combine rewards between the two accounts, and each cent will get you one Capital One mile. So this is a good opportunity, but as you can see, the opportunities aren’t as robust as with Chase cards.

One quick note if you’re actually shopping the premium Capital One card. This comparison is about the standard Venture. If you’re weighing the lounge-and-credits version instead, see my dedicated Capital One Venture X vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred comparison.

So, which card is better?

The Capital One Venture is a well-rounded card for anyone who doesn’t spend a lot in categories that are otherwise eligible for bonuses. The card offers a generous welcome bonus, no foreign transaction fees, Global Entry fee credit, and more. The card also offers an excellent return for those who are looking for cash back toward travel, and Capital One also has great airline and hotel transfer partners.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred, on the other hand, offers bonus points on dining, travel, gas, and more, and best of all, the ability to combine points with some other great cards that have excellent bonus categories as well.

Between these two cards, I’d say that if you just want to use one card for everything and don’t spend that much on dining and travel, the Venture Card is a solid option. The card is straightforward and flexible, and that’s awesome.

Meanwhile, if you do spend a lot on dining and travel, and if you’re willing to combine the card with some other excellent ones, the Sapphire Preferred would be my first choice.

Personally, I think the combination of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Freedom Unlimited is tough to beat if you’re willing to get two cards.

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture have the same annual fee, but they’re designed for different consumer patterns.

The Venture keeps it simple with a flat 2x miles on everything, which is great if you don’t want to think about categories. The Sapphire Preferred earns more on dining and travel, comes with a bigger credit stack after its June 2026 refresh, and lets you pool points with other Chase cards to really run up your balance. If you’ll use one card and forget about it, the Venture makes sense. If you’ll lean into categories and stack a couple of Chase cards, the Sapphire Preferred is the stronger long-term pick.

Which do you prefer, the Capital One Venture Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card?

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Trump unveils updated “patriotic passport” design

Several weeks ago, President Trump unveiled plans for a “patriotic passport.” The limited edition passport is intended to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary, and it prominently features Trump in front of the Declaration of Independence.

Below is what plans for the passport looked like several weeks ago.

Trump has now taken to his Truth Social platform to unveil the updated design, and there are indeed some changes. It appears that Trump’s signature is no longer in gold, and Trump is standing in front of the Declaration of Independence, rather than it just showing his face.

But here’s the part I don’t get — the one thing Trump specifically highlights about the new passport is how it says “Welcome, but be good!”

This is widely being picked up by other media sources, as if that phrase somehow makes sense, but I can’t actually figure out the logic!

Why is “welcome, but be good” written on a passport?

Can someone come up with a theory as to why a United States issued passport would have “welcome, but be good” written on it?

One would assume that message would be intended for immigrants and visitors, welcoming them, but telling them to behave. But this is a passport issued to United States citizens — those aren’t people who are being welcomed to the United States, and they aren’t people that have to “be good” (even if you’re “bad,” you go to jail, but it’s not like you get deported).

So is Trump instead welcoming us to foreign countries with our US passports, and telling us to behave there?That doesn’t strike me as a very “America First” agenda, so I wouldn’t expect that from him.

And I’ve officially run out of ideas, so if anyone can chime in with what their best theory is, I’d certainly appreciate it. I’d assume that Trump and his administration understand that US passports are issued to US citizens. I could understand this if that message were somehow written on US visas issued to foreigners, but that’s not what’s happening here.

Bottom line

Trump’s new “patriotic passport” will soon be available, to commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday. It includes a picture of Trump in front of the Declaration of Independence, and Trump also claims that it will have the phrase “welcome, but be good” written on it.

That literally makes zero sense to me, but I can’t imagine they’re putting something on a passport that makes zero sense, so can someone take a stab at this?

What is “welcome, but be good” supposed to mean?

Well, Delta has just revealed its latest route addition out of the airport, which is service to Newark (EWR). That might not sound that strange on the surface, though competitively the airline will be at a major disadvantage, and I’m trying to figure out exactly what type of consumer this flight is targeting.

Delta launches LAX to EWR route as of April 2027

As of April 12, 2027, Delta intends to launch twice daily flights between Los Angeles and Newark. The 2,453-mile flight will operate with the following schedule:

DL732 Los Angeles to Newark departing 7:40AM arriving 4:15PM
DL980 Los Angeles to Newark departing 9:25PM arriving 6:00AM (+1 day)

DL833 Newark to Los Angeles departing 7:30AM arriving 11:05AM
DL2447 Newark to Los Angeles departing 5:25PM arriving 9:00PM

Both daily flights will be operated by “standard” domestic Airbus A321neos, featuring 194 seats, including 20 first class seats and 174 economy class seats.

Here’s how Scott Santoro, Delta’s VP of Los Angeles and West Coast sales, describes this:

“Los Angeles plays a central role in Delta’s network, and this new nonstop service to Newark reflects our commitment to connecting customers across key business markets. By offering twice-daily flights on our Airbus A321neo, we’re delivering more choice, comfort, and reliable connectivity between the East and West Coasts.”

When it comes to competition in this market, this is one that United dominates, with 10 daily flights, mostly with wide body aircraft featuring Polaris business class seats. Interestingly, United’s partner, JetBlue, will shortly be cutting this route, so the only other competitor is Alaska, which operates up to three daily flights.

Let me also emphasize that it complements service from LAX to New York Kennedy (JFK), a market in which Delta operates up to 11 daily flights.

Delta is really trying to build out its LAX hub!

It goes without saying that Delta is at a massive competitive disadvantage flying between LAX and EWR, in terms of frequencies and onboard product. Delta generally performs best financially in markets where it dominates, to or from a fortress hub (as do most US carriers, for that matter).

The market between LAX and EWR is the third highest revenue domestic market in the country, and that’s overwhelmingly thanks to United’s presence there. United dominates Newark.

It’s pretty clear that this route is a lot more about traffic originating at LAX rather than traffic originating at EWR, given what a loyal following United has at the latter airport. Still, the potential demand for this strikes me as rather thin. This is just going after Delta loyalists who insist on flying to EWR over JFK, and who don’t care about product or schedule? Oh, and it’s not even going after those who frequently fly between LAX and EWR, because presumably they’d be loyal to United, since they’d value the product and schedule?

I get the concept of Delta trying to build out a schedule from LAX, though I think the toughest part here on the premium front is that Delta isn’t even flying a plane with flat beds. That’s also why I find this route to be even more questionable than Delta’s new route to Chicago (ORD), because at least there you don’t have a single dominant airline, and it’s not like competitors typically offer a premium flat bed product.

Admittedly the networks of all airlines include a combination of money making routes and money losing routes, with the latter often being part of some larger strategic initiatives. It does seem to me like Delta is currently engaged in quite a few “growth” initiatives that will have questionable results, ranging from its new Austin (AUS) focus city, to whatever you call the situation in Seattle (SEA), to now building up LAX, including a route to Hong Kong (HKG), which is certainly hemorrhaging money.

Bottom line

As of April 2027, Delta plans to start flying between Los Angeles and Newark twice daily, using Airbus A321neos. This is part of the carrier’s initiative to grow its presence at LAX, and become the dominant airline there.

This route might not sound that strange, but Delta is going up against one of United’s strongest routes, with 10 daily flights operated by wide body planes. So two daily flights operated by standard domestic aircraft doesn’t seem like it’s going to steal much market share.

I get the concept of wanting to build out a network, but there’s a very narrow set of circumstances under which anyone not simply looking for the cheapest fare would select Delta in a market like this. And with a block time of over 6.5 hours westbound, this isn’t exactly a cheap flight to operate.

This LAX growth just strikes me as a massive money pit, and it’s not clear to me how Delta will turn this into some big money marker.

What do you make of Delta’s new LAX to Newark route?