I hope you had a great weekend! Mine involved criss-crossing the country, but more on that shortly.

Before I get started, it’s your last chance to lock in this credit card sign-up offer worth at least $1,000 in travel on a card with just a $95 annual fee.

It’s a no-brainer. Here’s why you should stop procrastinating on this offer — aside from the fact that it ends today.

Now, let’s get into everything else happening in travel. Today’s edition is stacked.

Advertiser and Editorial Disclosure

At long last, they’re here: next-generation Delta One Suites.

This unveiling has been hyped for weeks, and now we finally know what Delta’s latest and greatest premium product looks like.

The new cabin will debut on Delta’s new flagship jet, the Airbus A350-1000. The airline has 20 on order, with deliveries expected to begin early next year.

Delta One Suites will be arranged in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone layout — a first for this product, and something I’m personally excited about as a last-minute booker.

The suites come with a bunch of upgrades, including:

The suites are based on the new Thompson Aero VantageNova platform, and there are a few surprises.

First, there’s no business-class-plus product. That’s a genuine shocker for Delta, which has spent the past decade trying to position itself as the most premium U.S. airline.

Second, there’s no enclosed storage, which feels like a miss.

And third, United will actually have more premium seats on its Elevated 787 Dreamliner. Here’s how the two configurations compare.

Delta will also retrofit its A330-200 and A330-300 jets with a new Delta One Suites product.

This version will also be in a 1-2-1 layout, but unlike the A350-1000, it will use a forward-facing configuration, similar to today’s Delta One Suites.

Other than the different layout, the product looks largely the same, with a similar design language and only a few notable distinctions.

The retrofit project begins later this year. Hallelujah.

Delta also has a slew of other upgrades coming.

Both jets will feature a walk-up snack bar for business-class passengers — a first for Delta.

The airline is also bringing new 4K QLED screens with Bluetooth support to Premium Select (16 inches) and economy (13 inches).

Those cabins are getting refreshed finishes as well, and economy will even feature a new seat with an extra inch of legroom and more ergonomic storage.

United’s new basic Polaris fares are live, and they’re even worse than I expected.

That’s because you won’t earn miles or Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) unless you’re an elite member or have a cobranded credit card.

In other words, you could spend $4,500 on a flight and earn nothing.

Basic Polaris and basic Premium Plus also don’t include advance seat assignments.

I just analyzed every basic fare currently on sale and compiled a report showing exactly how much every seat and upgrade costs.

And a reminder, if you don’t have a United cobranded credit card, you’re basically a second-tier United flyer. Here’s my referral link if you want to change that.

By now, you’ve probably seen plenty of headlines about airfare getting more expensive.

Personally, I haven’t noticed a huge jump in the markets I search most often, which aligns with broader data showing fares are up about 10%.

(That doesn’t include the higher bag fees, which every major airline has now adopted.)

I’ve been telling anyone who’ll listen that points and miles remain one of the best ways to beat higher fares, especially when you’re using programs that still have award charts.

But JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic are now setting a precedent that I really hope doesn’t spread.

Both airlines are now imposing higher fuel surcharges on select award redemptions.

And as we all know, fuel surcharges rarely disappear when fuel prices come back down.

That’s why I’m concerned this could become the next major fee layered onto award travel.

For now, it’s a wait-and-see.

I hate to spill the beans on this one, but here’s my favorite seat in economy. (Yes, I fly economy all the time. I just don’t post much about those trips.)

It’s the window seat with a missing seat in front of it. You get nearly unlimited legroom and two ways to get out.

Sometimes the window-side armrest is a bit smaller than usual, but the tradeoff is worth it.

Many Southwest 737s have at least one of these seats, and I’m picking it every single time.

(One more reason I far prefer assigned seating to open seating on Southwest.)

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