Happy Wednesday from my least favorite road in America. (That's the Van Wyck Expressway on the way to JFK.)
I usually take public transit to JFK. But whipping out my laptop on the subway to catch up on work — with my already-spotty Verizon service — wasn't going to cut it.
Good thing I found a $70 fare from the Upper West Side using Empower, the new rideshare app I wrote about last week.
I've got a stacked newsletter for you — here's the latest.
📋 In this edition
The EES loophole is closing
The days of “skipping” Europe's new immigration system are numbered.
During the peak summer season, airports have been allowed to suspend the biometric checks tied to the Entry/Exit System (EES) on busy days. (Not all of them took advantage of the flexibility.)
That temporary reprieve is slated to end on Sept. 6, and reintroducing the full EES process will certainly slow things down again.
There's always a chance the EU extends the waiver (it’s Europe, after all), and I'll keep you posted with the latest.
In the meantime, don't forget to use my EES line prediction tool, which now covers flights through July 2027.
The August edit is here
My wife just sent in her picks for the August edit, my monthly collection of clothing and gear, curated for style and ease of wear while traveling.
Catch the full list below.
Men
Rugby shirt for fall travel ($128)
Women
Cute top for the office and weekends ($69.95)
Travel and family gear
Starter kit for my favorite sunscreen brand ($38, a $66 value)
Stylish kid’s backpack ($80)
We’re sending our daughter to school this fall, and I love this collab between her favorite pajama brand, Magnetic Me, and State. There’s plenty more worth a look in the collection.
Blackout sleep tent when sharing rooms with kids ($199.99, pricey but worth it)
Amex adds 350+ hotels
American Express really wants you to book your trips directly through its travel portal.
And honestly, if you have the American Express Platinum Card®, which unlocks access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program, you can receive one perk that no other issuer has matched (not yet, at least): guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout.
Amex is marking FHR's 35th anniversary by adding more than 350 properties to its premium hotel programs.
The list includes a few gems I've been eyeing. But the bigger story is how the competition for your travel dollars (and let's be real: the hotel commissions, too) has been heating up.
I spoke with Audrey Hendley, the president of Amex Travel, to hear her take. The interview — and my thoughts on where travel portals go next — are worth a read.
Risky start to my next trip
Speaking of Europe, I'm heading back there next week. Not only will I have another firsthand EES update, but I'll also have a ton of content coming out of the trip.
My wife and I are going to Santorini and Paros. The trip will start with an interesting flight and a tight 70-minute connection in Athens.
The product we’re flying to Greece
We'll be staying at two luxe resorts, one of which is brand-new and just joined Marriott Bonvoy.
Paros is where my wife and I had our babymoon two years ago, and we're heading back for a wedding. (Last time, we loved our stay at Cosme, a Marriott Luxury Collection property.)
I haven't been to Santorini in 10 years, so if you have recommendations, you know the drill… hit reply!
6 more hotel pet peeves
On Monday, I shared my three biggest hotel pet peeves: underpowered air conditioning, no gym equipment lists or photos, and bulk refillable toiletries.
You replied with lots more. Here are the ones I'm now stealing for my own list.
Dim lighting: This one really bothers me, especially when I’m trying to work from the hotel room. I wish more hotels would install ceiling lights (though I imagine the bulbs are a pain to change).
Blackout curtains, with a gap: I can't tell you how many times my wife has been woken up by blackout curtains that don't fully close. (I wear an eye mask every night, so it bothers me less.) Thankfully, there's a good hack for keeping them shut.
No requests section: Several chains no longer let you write comments or special requests during the booking flow. I always use this space to tell hotels what time I plan to arrive.
Message the hotel, wait forever: I ran into this last weekend in Portland. I messaged the hotel through the Hilton app asking for more towels. Nobody replied until after we checked out.
Mandatory (inflated) valet: Entry-level hotels that only offer (overpriced) valet parking are maddening. That’s one of the reasons I love the World of Hyatt loyalty program: top-tier members don’t pay for parking on award stays.
Awkwardly placed shower valves: If you can't reach the valve from outside the shower, you're getting blasted with cold water every time you turn it on.
If you run into more hotel (or general travel) fails on the road, I'd love to hear about them.
Earn miles from the awards I judged
Back in June, I told you I was serving as an expert panelist for the Cathay Members' Choice Awards 2026.
Well, you voted, and the results are in.
The winner for your favorite hotel partner doesn’t surprise me, and a few of my other picks made it through to the finals.
But here's what's in it for you: several winners and finalists put together exclusive offers for Cathay members.
💡 Tray Table Tip: Track your credits
I keep a running Apple Note of every travel credit I'm sitting on.
Most of them expire within a year of issue, which means the note is only useful if I actually open it.
Case in point: I found three credits expiring at the end of the month during my monthly "gardening" session, where I go line by line through the list.
I wish there were a better way to track these things. (If there is, let me know.) Until then, consider this your expiration warning.
🗞️ News you can use
SEA’s next upgrade: At long last, the S Concourse at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is getting a makeover to the tune of $2.5 billion. Upgrades include expanded retail and dining, new lounges, and a rebuilt 1970s-era facility catering to international travelers. The downside: three of the concourse's 12 gates will be offline at any given time, with a temporary ground-based annex picking up the slack. The work starts in 2027 and runs in phases through 2034.
JetBlue’s elite upgrade: Mosaic 1 elites can now assign an EvenMore seat for free starting 36 hours before departure — 12 hours earlier than before. My take is that JetBlue wants its own elites to have a head start over United Premier members, who under the Blue Sky partnership can select EvenMore seats for free when check-in opens.
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