Happy Friday!

I'm officially exhausted and ready to check out for the weekend after a whirlwind week of back-to-back events.

One meeting took a turn I didn't see coming. I sat down with Virgin Atlantic's new CEO, and just as we started talking, Richard Branson walked in. (In fairness, we were chatting in his 35th-floor penthouse.)

You have to see how the conversation ended — I posted the whole thing on Instagram.

Lots of updates to get to before the weekend. Here's everything you need to know.

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Delta just announced the rest of its summer 2027 expansion, and it's far less splashy than American's or United's.

Delta isn't adding any new cities. Instead, it's expanding service to destinations already on its map: Boston to Venice and Detroit to Athens. They join the recently announced Austin to Paris flight.

I'd say Delta's playing it safe for next summer. It's also a sign of a bigger strategic split from American and United.

Most of their new European destinations will be served by the single-aisle, extra-long-range Airbus A321XLR.

Delta's chief commercial officer recently told me the airline has no plans to buy the jet because the passenger experience isn’t as good as a wide-body's.

Time will tell if he changes his mind.

Either way, I think Delta's next big network move will be turning Austin into a hub.

If you love a big welcome bonus, here's a limited-time offer worth a look.

Better yet, you don't have to be a points optimizer to maximize it.

I'm talking about one of the highest-ever offers on the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, worth $1,000+ in travel.

Here's how it breaks down:

Those 75,000 miles can cover $750 in eligible travel purchases charged to the card. Or you can transfer them to partners to squeeze out even more value.

After the bonus, the card keeps earning its keep with unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase and a host of other perks.

For a $95 annual fee, I'd say that's worth it.

There's no word yet on when the offer ends, but if you've been on the fence, here's my full breakdown.

(It includes my affiliate link if you decide to grab the card — I'll earn a small commission that helps keep my content free. Thanks!)

United's new Elevated 787-9 debuted in April, and the airline already has it scheduled on nine long-haul routes.

The ninth — San Francisco to Sydney — just hit the schedule. You'll find the full deployment rundown below.

A few takeaways:

Last month, I canceled a refundable Emirates ticket I'd booked through Amex Travel.

A few weeks later, I noticed my statement still didn't show a refund. So I called Amex and was surprised to learn the original agent had botched the cancellation — and Emirates had marked me as a no-show.

The new agent resubmitted the refund, but since I'd "missed" the flight, I was on the hook for a $450 no-show fee.

The Emirates refund landed a few days after that call. Then yesterday, Amex Travel called me (from a random 954 number) to say it's crediting my account for the no-show fee — and sending the original agent back to training.

I rarely book through third-party portals. But Amex's hidden discounts with Emirates (and nearly 40 other airlines) convinced me to use this one.

All's well that ends well.

American's new centennial-themed suitcases have gone viral.

Demand is so strong that some bags are backordered into 2027.

My giveaway of a Flagship Navy carry-on just wrapped, and the winner — Instagram user @marjorie_cruisinggal — has been notified.

Still want one? I'd order ASAP. Here’s the link.

Newark's Terminal A is already getting bigger.

The 33-gate terminal opened in 2023 to plenty of fanfare (much of it from yours truly). And if you've been through recently, you know it's packed.

So the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, just approved funding to kick off an eight-gate expansion — plus more concessions, more restrooms, and other amenities (perhaps even another lounge or two).

The work will happen in phases. First up: two gates in a roughly 25,000-square-foot addition on the south end, slated to open in 2029.

Six more gates on the north pier will follow, opening in phases starting in 2030.

Now the Port Authority just needs to tear down Terminal B and start from scratch. Then Newark will be fixed.

Last week, I shared how much I love coupon clipping at CVS.

My strategy is to buy one product first, see which coupons print, then check out with the rest of my basket.

What I neglected to mention is that you can earn bonus points or cash back on CVS purchases — even in store. Just link your credit card to your Rakuten account and then activate the offer before you shop. (This also works at tons of other physical retailers.)

I'd completely forgotten about this integration, and it stacks with all your coupons and other discounts.

If you don't have a Rakuten account yet, you can earn $50 (or 5,000 points — your choice) after your first $50 purchase.

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

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.