Hello from LAX, where I'm enjoying the June gloom and cooler temps before heading back into yet another New York heatwave.
Just a reminder: with the holiday weekend approaching, regularly scheduled programming will resume on Monday. (Happy 4th!)
One thing worth thinking about this weekend: adding one of the best travel cards to your wallet. It's offering a rare 100,000-point welcome bonus — only the third time that's ever happened.
I wouldn't wait. (Case in point: I applied myself.)
📋 In this edition
The “accidental” plane
Instead of taking a middling nonstop from New York to Los Angeles, I flew from LaGuardia to Atlanta, then to LAX.
Why? Because Delta's flying its "accidental" plane on select transcons out of Atlanta.
This jet packs 44 first-class recliners across 11 rows, making it a dream for Medallions chasing upgrades.
I'd never seen anything like it, so I had to check it out for myself.
Everything about it is wild — the layout, the bulkhead, the service flow, and even the reason why the configuration exists in the first place.
My meal landed just 35 minutes after takeoff, and I never once waited for the single lavatory at the front of the jet. (Mind you, this was a morning flight, post-coffee.)
Delta's latest flex
I promise I didn't fly all the way to LAX just to grab pictures by the famous In-N-Out Burger off Sepulveda.
Turns out, Delta did the unthinkable — it opened a second Delta One Lounge at LAX before it's even broken ground on one back home in Atlanta.
Before you get too worried: Atlanta's Concourse E is officially getting a nearly 40,000-square-foot Delta One Lounge in 2029. (That’s as fast as possible, according to Sky Club execs.)
As for LAX, Delta's move is opportunistic. It's adding lounge capacity as it keeps growing at the airport and with the LA28 Olympics on the horizon.
The space — a compact 4,000 square feet — isn't big, but it packs a mighty punch.
Wait until you see the pictures of the sushi and crudo flown in each morning from Japan.
What Delta hasn't said yet
I strive to make this newsletter a must-read. (If it's become that for you, tell a friend to sign up at newsletter.fromthetraytable.com.)
Today's mission: news you won't find elsewhere. Here are a few Delta updates that fit the bill.
Atlanta will (likely) get another new Sky Club. It's too early for Delta to confirm when or where, but based on my conversation with Tim Genovese, the airline's lounge operations chief, improving the Atlanta lounge experience is one of his top priorities. Reading between the lines, it seems like a new ATL outpost is all but confirmed.
More grab-and-go lounges could be coming. Delta has just one (unremarkable) grab-and-go outpost today, but that probably won't be the last one. Genovese told me Delta's built an internal prototype for a more extensive takeaway lounge experience — it just needs to figure out when and where to open it.
Access changes aren't off the table. Back in 2023, Delta announced drastic changes to Sky Club entry, but the lounges are still busy. (I can't blame Delta, since they're worth the wait.) Now, the airline is weighing more changes. It doesn't sound imminent, but if I were a betting man, I'd say we'll see some updates within the next 18 months.
EES questions, answered
I keep hearing the same questions from readers about how unpredictable Europe's new immigration lines have become.
I just added a new FAQ section to my free EES guide — worth a look if you're headed to Europe soon.
Here are two of the most popular questions I keep getting.
Does EES apply to arrivals and departures?
Yes. My free line estimator tool distinguishes between entering and exiting Europe.
Which airport is best? Or worst?
I hear the most complaints about Amsterdam, Athens, Lisbon, and Madrid.
Paris, Frankfurt, and Munich are three of the better ones. Paris has a Sky Priority lane, while Frankfurt and Munich offer a fast-track lane for tight connections.
Amex x Apple Pay
You can now redeem Amex Membership Rewards points right from the Apple Pay checkout screen.
It's a cool integration that was first announced in 2024 but hasn't had a major issuer actually enable it — until now.
To pay with points:
Select Apple Pay at checkout
Choose an eligible Amex card
Select "Use Rewards" and enter the number of points to apply — you can cover all or part of your purchase
Authenticate your device, and you're done
It's not how I'd suggest redeeming Amex points. But for anyone who wants the simplest option (or has a few points orphaned in some Amex accounts), you can’t beat this.
Where to crash at the airport
I just put together a guide to choosing the best airport hotel.
I even shared where I stay at 15 major U.S. airports. Bookmark it before your next overnight at the airport.
Case in point: I just skipped all the LAX traffic by walking to the airport from the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles International Airport. I also had a great stay this week at my go-to spot near ATL, the Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway.
Big price hikes
Last week, Apple significantly raised the prices of its Macs, iPads, home devices, and Vision Pro.
(Kind of like airlines, whose fares are running higher than ever, especially in markets where Spirit no longer competes. RIP.)
Apple blamed the hikes on skyrocketing memory and storage chip costs, driven by AI demand.
Notably, iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods prices are untouched — for now. The iPhone 18 lineup is right around the corner, and while I'm looking forward to the new devices, I wouldn't be surprised if they got pricier too.
Help me settle a debate I'm having with a friend. Do you use an iPhone or Android?
One thing I keep noticing on the road: rideshares are getting more expensive.
I've mentioned this app before, but I saved over $100 this week using Empower, a newer rideshare app.
On Sunday night, I paid $34 to get from the Upper West Side to LaGuardia. Uber wanted $150.
The Empower app can be janky, the ETAs are sometimes off, and it's on questionable legal footing in D.C. — but as a frequent traveler, I'm saving a ton on rides, and that's what I care about most.
Empower is now available in:
Atlanta
Baltimore
Dallas-Fort Worth
Houston
New York City
South Florida
D.C. Metro
Winston-Salem / Greensboro
If you haven't downloaded it yet, here are the iOS and Android links. Use promo code ZACH during sign-up for $10+ off your first ride.
🗞️ News you can use
JFK’s big upgrade: American will open its second grab-and-go Provisions lounge, coming to JFK in December. It'll measure 3,700 square feet — a big upgrade over the original in Charlotte. The only hiccup? How American communicated the plans.
Chicago to Tokyo and more: In a far more elaborate celebration, American just announced a (resuming) long-haul route from Chicago to Tokyo Narita onboard the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. CEO Robert Isom kicked off an employee rally with the news, which also includes two new domestic routes: Chicago to Charlottesville, Virginia, and Ontario, California. That Chicago turf war is still very much a thing.
Dallas is getting even bigger: A third airport in the Dallas metro will soon get commercial air service. Discounter Avelo is adding five routes — four to Florida, one to Las Vegas — from McKinney National Airport (DTX) starting in November. I've never been anywhere near DTX, but I guess I’ll have to check it out.
🔗 Links to use
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