Hello from Seattle!

I feel like I've been to the Pacific Northwest more this year than ever before. (Flighty confirms it — four trips out here in a matter of months.)

I'm here with Boeing for a few days before heading back to NYC for the weekend.

I had a memorable flight out. Catch up on that — and lots more breaking news — below.

Just a reminder: the rare limited-time offer on the best travel card is still around. If you're on the fence, here's why I added it to my wallet. (And if you're picking it up too, I appreciate you using my affiliate link.)

Advertiser and Editorial Disclosure

The writing has been on the wall for years, but the day is finally here.

Delta is bringing basic fares to premium economy, domestic first class, and — most notably — Delta One. (This applies only to paid tickets. SkyMiles redemptions are excluded, for now…)

Basic fares strip out many of the amenities that have historically come with a premium-cabin ticket. Here's the rundown:

Delta’s Basic Business twist

Delta's new Basic Business fare — which isn’t being called Delta One Basic — is the most punitive of the bunch. It doesn't include access to the Delta One check-in area, the Delta One lounge, or any Sky Club. (That piece of the policy phases in Jan. 19.)

You can still get into the Sky Club with an eligible credit card or a lounge membership — but your ticket alone won't cut it.

Bottom line

I'm not surprised Delta finally pulled the trigger. If anything, I'm surprised it took them this long to follow United's lead.

Basic fares have largely been a way for airlines to squeeze more revenue out of travelers who value the traditional experience. When United rolled out basic premium fares, yesterday's standard fare became today's basic fare (in eligible markets).

I've been avoiding basic fares for years and plan to keep doing so. That'll mean paying more for my flights, but between the no-change fees, free seat assignments, and lounge access, the buy-up would need to be quite steep for me to choose basic.

It’s getting hot out there, so here are the outfit and gear picks I'm leaning on all summer.

Men

Women

Travel gear

Everyone is rightfully concerned about the wait times with Europe's new Entry/Exit System. (Here's my complete guide if you haven't checked it out in a while.)

The question I get most: can I add more airports to my free EES wait-time predictor?

Well, I just updated the tracker to include the 30 biggest European airports. Remember to filter by arrival or departure, and by day of the week.

If you find the tracker helpful, please share it with your friends and colleagues.

(Also, if you missed it, I shared a helpful tip for navigating the French border in Monday's edition.)

Look closely, and you'll see a relatively new fee when you check out at Hudson News.

I was just charged a 3% "employee benefits and retention surcharge" on my two bags of pretzels at the JFK Terminal 8 outpost. (Why can't more airport retailers stock Rold Gold, aka the best pretzel brand?)

I'd never seen it before, but the fee has been around for about a year — and it's spreading nationwide.

Mind you: this is on top of prompts to tip, donate, and join a membership club, all at a self-serve kiosk.

The comments in this discussion thread are fascinating. Take a peek.

I was just served a meal that no other U.S. airline could pull off in domestic first class.

Yesterday, I flew from New York to Seattle on Alaska Airlines and cleared a first-class upgrade on the five-hour transcon (courtesy of my American Executive Platinum status and a quiet Tuesday afternoon).

I've done a ton of Alaska flying this year, but this meal — the ahi-tuna tataki — knocked it out of the park. Can't forget the Salt & Straw ice cream cup for dessert, either.

And if anyone from Alaska is reading, send Sam — the first-class flight attendant on AS 23 — some kudos. He did a great job.

One of Marriott's most iconic Miami properties — the W South Beach — is officially leaving the chain. The hotel closes Aug. 17 for a top-to-bottom renovation and will reopen in winter 2027 as the Waldorf Astoria Miami Beach.

That's a blow to the Bonvoy portfolio in Miami Beach, especially since the W was often cheaper than the area's other luxe Marriott options. (It was also the rare W that I actually enjoyed staying at.)

It comes as Hilton — and especially the Waldorf Astoria brand — keeps expanding its footprint with new and renovated properties, including this one in London and this one in Deer Valley.

When there are multiple daily flights on the same route, you can often save money by buying the cheapest one and then making a confirmed same-day change to the flight you actually want.

It's an especially smart move for Delta flyers, since first-class passengers can change to any flight regardless of which fare classes are available.

It also works well on JetBlue, where you can even reroute to nearby airports.

The biggest savings tend to come on last-minute bookings, when you already know which flights have availability.

Here's the full same-day change policy for major U.S. airlines. Make sure to bookmark the one for your preferred carrier.

Using these links is the easiest way to support FTTT — and I only recommend what I actually use.

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