Happy Monday from NYC!

Thankfully, it’s my last week in the tundra for the rest of the year. I’ll close out 2025 in warmer pastures, and I may even hit the sky this week. But more on that if it materializes.

Two airlines kept me busy last week.

More than 80% of you already read about JetBlue’s first-ever airport lounge, but I’ve saved American’s big update to elevate your Monday morning blues (and avoid taking up too much space in your inbox).

But before I get to it, last week’s events really surprised me. For the better.

I thought American and JetBlue both did a great job of communicating their latest premium investments.

Actions speak louder than words, so I’ll be closely following how the carriers follow through.

So far, however, I’m impressed. And you likely will be, too.

American Airlines unveiled its long-awaited Airbus A321XLR last week.

The extra-long-range jet ushers in an all-new onboard experience for American. This includes nose-to-tail upgrades like 4K TVs (they’re back, at least on this single-aisle American plane), Bluetooth wireless pairing, and speedy Viasat Wi-Fi.

The A321XLR features 20 new Flagship Suite business-class pods, 12 premium economy recliners, and 123 economy seats.

Only 12 economy seats are in an extra-legroom configuration — a disappointing move — but otherwise, the plane really shines.

The jet looks swankier in person than I expected, and I’m a fan of the subtle branding touches.

You’ll find the A321XLR on American’s premium transcontinental routes (i.e., New York and Boston to LA and SF), and on new long-haul European flights, like New York to Edinburgh launching next year.

The only people who might not love the plane are flight attendants. That unique forward galley could definitely be the talk of the next town hall.

I always look forward to whipping out my favorite holiday sweaters in late December.

I just received the 2025 edition of Alaska’s and United’s holiday sweaters (thanks PR teams!), and I’m not sure which one I like more.

United’s definitely feels cozier when you’re wearing it, but Alaska’s feels a bit more festive.

United’s did come with many more goodies, including a beanie I’ll definitely wear on the slopes early next year.

If you’re looking to pick up your own, United gave me a 10% off code to share: UAHOLIDAY10 for unitedshop.com

If you’re anything like me, you’ve waited until today to purchase most of your holiday gifts.

The good news: Rakuten – the shopping portal that gives you cash back on 3,500+ brands — has a few limited-time promos, like 10% back on Bloomingdale’s and 6% on Lululemon.

You can get free $50 from Rakuten when you sign up and then shop with my referral link. (I appreciate you using it!)

Plus, I’m still finding some pretty sweet deals on my favorite gifts for travelers.

My favorite all-around travel bags come from Away.

I personally use the Commuter backpack on most trips. Their small toiletry bags and packing cubes are great stocking stuffers.

Plus, they’re offering up to 20% on many bags, so maybe this is the year you gift their popular carry-on?

You know the drill. The best giftable travel tech is AirPods and AirTags.

Amazon’s offering a four-pack of AirTags for $69.99 (nearly 30% off).

Plus, AirPods Pro 3 ($219.99) are the best all-around travel headphones.

If your loved one already has AirPods, gift the AirFly dongle ($49.99) to wirelessly pair their AirPods with the seat-back screen or a hotel treadmill.

Or, consider the Epicka universal travel adapter ($29.99) to keep them powered on all their trips.

If you don’t have Vuori joggers in your wardrobe, you’re doing it wrong. (I’m even writing my newsletter wearing them.)

They’re super comfy for long-haul flying, and when I recommended them a few weeks back, I got tons of replies from folks saying they agree with me.

So yeah, probably a great gift idea.

I rounded up all of my favorite gifts this year in my comprehensive gift guide, so be sure to check it out.

This is also the week when I physically stop by my local Chase branch to withdraw a ton of cash for tips.

Here’s what I’m giving this year. Tipping can get really tricky, so hopefully my baseline will help.

Who said airlines aren’t nimble?

College football playoffs begin on Friday, and no airline is perhaps more prepared to take you there than Southwest.

The airline just added 41 extra flights for eight games. In fact, five of the added markets aren’t even regularly operated by Southwest (such as Lubbock, Texas, to Fort Lauderdale and Miami for the Orange Bowl).

Delta also added a few one-off flights for the playoffs, but Southwest has been playing the long game with these special events.

The airline likes to add flights for college and pro football games, F1 races, music festivals, and more. The airline has seen good success with these flights, a spokesperson tells me, and is looking forward to adding even more one-off flights for events early next year.

I’m going to launch my annual upgrade giveaway later this week. (Still looking for more donations if you have leftover PlusPoints, systemwide upgrades, or hotel certificates!)

In the meantime, I’m spreading the holiday cheer a little early.

I’m giving away the stacked swag bag American gave me at the A321XLR event. Here’s what’s inside.

If you want the bag, you need to refer people to the newsletter. Each referral is one entry, and I’ll randomly pick a winner on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.

Shipping’s on me. Just refer using the link below, and you’ll be entered!

Note that your referrals must confirm their subscription after signing up to be eligible. (Check spam/promotions.)

If you like this giveaway, my wife and (our tiny NYC apartment) would love to make it a permanent feature whenever I come home with a swag bag. Stay tuned.

It seems like all the travel and tech companies are finally drafting their out-of-office messages for the holidays.