Ciao again from Italy!

It’s been a whirlwind trip, and it only got busier when major credit card news dropped yesterday afternoon. If you missed my rare Thursday post, here’s the link — it’s worth a read.

Meanwhile, there's plenty more happening. From Amex and Citi shake-ups to Uber's big reveal and fresh transfer bonuses, welcome to another edition of From the Tray Table.

(I’ll share my Rome itinerary and recs on Monday when I’m back stateside.)

Advertiser and Editorial Disclosure

There's a strong new offer from a major bank that opens up a great double-dip opportunity.

If you're targeted — I was! — you'll receive cash back after making Away purchases.

I personally swear by the Away Commuter Backpack, and I’ve convinced some of my colleagues to pick it up too.

I love the pockets, and it fits everything without feeling bulky or undersized.

Other top picks from Away: Insider Packing Cubes and the Bigger Carry On.

Uber hosts an annual product event before the summer travel season. I usually like attending — it's a fun showcase — but I couldn't be there IRL this year.

What’d you (and I) miss? The introduction of hotel booking via Uber.

I’m actually a fan of this Expedia-powered experience.

You'll get 10% back on every booking as Uber Cash, and select hotel rates will also be 20% off. I'd happily forgo elite perks and competent customer service to save that much.

Other new features include Uber One (discounted or free via a handful of my top-rated credit cards) going international and a new “travel mode” designed to help you get acquainted with new cities.

I'm curious your thoughts on the question below — click the right answer.

United just introduced Polaris fares on domestic flights for the first time — and the rollout is mixed news.

The lie-flat pods on premium transcon and long-haul Hawaii routes will now be sold as true Polaris business-class seats.

The good news? You'll be eligible for Polaris Lounge access on these domestic flights.

The bad? The cheapest biz tickets have been replaced with basic Polaris. (Ugh.)

Restrictions include:

So while I appreciate the ability to access the Polaris Lounge on a domestic flight, you’ll be paying more for that privilege.

When United said it plans to raise fares to offset higher fuel costs, this is (partially) what the airline meant.

The American Express® Gold Card is one of my favorite credit cards, and it just got a big revamp.

Fear not — I don't see any devaluations.

To start, Amex is improving the earning rate on Amex Travel hotel bookings. You’ll now earn 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com and the Amex Travel app.

You'll also get complimentary Hertz Five Star status just for holding the card.

Amex is also adding two new partners — Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder — to the list of places you can use the monthly dining statement credit. I'm particularly excited about Wonder, given how many locations are scattered across NYC.

The Gold is also celebrating its 60th anniversary, and to mark the occasion, you'll find new limited-time offers on your card:

There’s even more — you can read about the full refresh here.

I've held the Amex Gold for one-sixth of its lifetime, and that's not changing with this update.

This is one of the questions I get most often, and the answer is nuanced. Since I'm currently in Italy, it feels worth addressing now.

To start, I avoid major European cities from late May to mid-August. That's usually when they're hottest, busiest, and least enjoyable.

If you're after the best combination of lower fares and fewer crowds, shoulder season is the sweet spot. I'd take your big European trip in April, early May, September, or October. You'll save money, find more award availability, and deal with far less crowding.

That said, Rome has been way busier than I expected these past few days, and I'm still planning a few European trips during peak summer.

I'll just aim for more off-the-beaten-path destinations — and always triple-check that my hotel has working AC. (Trust me: summer in Europe without AC is no fun for an American tourist.)

I’m bummed about this one. I love it when credit cards allow you to transfer points between family members. (As someone who manages credit cards for multiple family members, I do this a lot.)

Unfortunately, Citi is ending the ability to transfer points to other accounts as of May 17.

Citi has typically capped you at sharing 100,000 points per year and receiving 100,000 points per year. So if you haven't hit the limit, now's the time to make your final transfer.

The ability to easily share miles between accounts is one of the many reasons I’ve been such a fan of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. It remains one of the card's most underrated features.

I can't believe it's already May. New months often mean fresh transfer bonuses, and today brought three new ones.

Don't forget: Bilt is also running a 24-hour-only up to 100% transfer bonus to Avios. I might even transfer some points speculatively.

Since I'm in Europe, I've moved my wallet into my front pocket to dodge pickpockets.

With scams on my mind, I figured I'd warn you about something that recently happened on my Bilt credit card.

I received a text about a potentially fraudulent $258.54 AT&T charge. The message had the last four digits of my account and came from a number that Google and Claude both said was associated with the card's issuer (Cardless).

So I replied that the charge was fraud — and then they asked for a six-digit code that had just been texted to me.

Instead of handing it over, I sent "123456." When they replied "invalid code," I knew immediately it was a scam.

Be extra careful out there, friends.

From the Tray Table is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear. Not all financial companies or all available offers are included. The opinions expressed are mine alone. Content is not reviewed or endorsed by an entity.