Happy Friday!

I was on the ground all week, yet it still flew by. (I blame the foldable iPhone Duo — I’ve spent the last 48 hours opening, closing, and unboxing it.)

It’s addictive, though I’m still waiting on some major travel companies to update their apps. (You’ve been put on notice!)

Meanwhile, I’ve got plenty of news and analysis for you below.

Personally, it’s shaping up to be a busy weekend, and I’ll share more when I’m back next week. Have a great weekend!

Advertiser and Editorial Disclosure

Delta just confirmed it won’t change how you earn Medallion status in 2027.

Next year’s thresholds will match this year’s:

I appreciate the decision, but I’m also a bit surprised. Here’s why:

As for American elites waiting to hear from the Fort Worth-based carrier: American’s status year doesn’t reset until March 1, 2027, so it has more time to announce any changes. Stay tuned.

Big changes are coming to two of the most popular premium cards, focused on lodging and statement credits.

I broke down every update — and why I’m not entirely surprised by them.

I suspect you’ll have mixed feelings about the news. Whether you like it or not, the changes apply to new and existing cardmembers.

I’ve now spent 48 hours with the iPhone Duo ahead of its launch today.

A few early impressions:

I can’t wait to take it on a trip. I bet it’ll beat plenty of seat-back screens, especially the ones on Delta’s 767s.

It seems like every airline (except American — see above) is announcing loyalty changes.

JetBlue just shared what’s changing in 2027, too.

It starts with complimentary, space-available upgrades for every Mosaic member — and even JetBlue Premier Card holders.

The airline is also revamping its list of Perks You Pick milestone rewards. Lower tiers get devalued, but higher tiers get better perks.

Other changes are coming, too. Here’s the full rundown.

Just watch out for one sneaky new term: Starting Feb. 1, you’ll need to pick your milestone perks within 60 days of earning them. Miss the window, and you’ll forfeit your pick.

I generally like Bilt, but managing the new cards still feels stuck in a prior generation.

My biggest gripe: Every time I get a new iPhone, I hit an error when adding my card to Apple Wallet. It says the card has been added to too many devices — even after I delete it from my old phone.

Bilt is the only card (of the 31 I carry) that doesn’t seem to support multiple phones.

My other issues: It’s hard to search and filter transactions, and the extra details for flight and hotel purchases sometimes don’t pull through.

I’m sure Cardless, the card issuer, can fix much of this. But for a $495 annual fee, managing the Bilt Palladium Card shouldn’t feel like managing a no-annual-fee card.

Amex just relaunched its cruise program as the American Express® Cruise & Yacht Collection.

The lineup now includes luxe yacht brands like Aman at Sea, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Orient Express Sailing Yachts, plus bigger ships from newer partners like Virgin Voyages.

There’s a long list of perks when you book through Amex Travel.

I haven’t been on a cruise in what feels like years (my last was an expedition ship through the Panama Canal), and I’ve been tempted to try another soon — especially with the rise of smaller, luxe yachts.

Maybe I’ll book through Amex when the time comes.

I love this Airbnb update: Hosts can no longer require guests to wash the dishes, strip the beds, or haul the trash out before checking out.

I never understood paying a (often hefty) cleaning fee, only to be handed a list of time-consuming chores on checkout day.

I find Airbnbs work well for group trips, but I avoid them on almost every other vacation.

That said, these onerous checkout lists were one of the most annoying parts of group trips, and I’m glad to see them go.

For the record: I still wouldn’t leave a house looking like a pigsty.

First, my apologies to Alaska Airlines. On Wednesday, I shared news of the airline’s latest Pacific expansion and noted that it plans at least 12 long-haul destinations from Seattle by 2030.

Turns out, that number is now at least 15. Alaska announced it at the big event I attended last month — I was clearly too busy enjoying the Aurora Suites to notice.

Second, since I covered the rest of the week’s news above, I’ll end with an awesome photo from reader Mark. Want your travel photo featured in a future newsletter? Just hit reply.

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