Enter girl dad, duo mode.
Jill and I just welcomed our second daughter! We’re officially parents of two, which still feels surreal. (Parents of twins: I have so many questions.)
📋 In this edition
Meet our newest frequent flyer
We just got home and are settling into our new dynamic. Mom and baby are healthy and doing well.
Our two-year-old is adjusting to life as a big sister. And yes, we’re already plotting the next family trip.
That’s big news for us — and it’s news for your inbox, too.
I’m a one-person shop, and I produce everything you read and watch from me. This is my business and livelihood, but family comes first. I’ll be taking some time at home, with a lighter cadence over the next few weeks before things get back to normal.
Paternity leave when you’re self-employed is a weird concept. If our first kid is any indication, I won’t stay off the road for long. I’ll do my best to keep the important stuff coming (and try not to miss me too much in the meantime).
Better yet, if you’re one of the many readers who’ve asked for more family travel tips, you’re about to get a double dose.
Family travel must-dos
I’ll start by sharing the first four travel to-dos on my list since our daughter was born. Two are done, and two are in motion:
Created her Gmail account. She now has an email address with her name in it (and no numbers).
Opened her frequent flyer accounts. She’s in all the major airline programs, and I also added her to family pooling where it’s offered.
Prepped her passport application. I’m just waiting on her birth certificate to arrive. I already took her photo against a white sheet.
Global Entry is next. Once her passport arrives, I’ll submit her Global Entry application. If your whole family wants to use the Global Entry lane, everyone needs their own membership, including babies. (Precheck is different: Kids 12 and under can join an enrolled parent in the Precheck lane. Teens 13 to 17 can, too, as long as they’re on the same reservation and their boarding pass shows the Precheck indicator.)
Thanks for all your support along the way — I’m really looking forward to this next chapter.
Onwards and upwards,
Zach
🗞️ News you can (actually) use
The good news is that you (and I) haven’t missed much in the travel and loyalty world since Friday’s newsletter. Here are the big stories I’m tracking:
Big Delta One award sale: Delta just launched a pretty extensive award sale on Delta One business-class redemptions. You’ll need to book by Thursday, Oct. 29, and you can check what’s on sale from your home airport here. (Remember, you can always start in a gateway like New York or Los Angeles and book separate connecting flights.)
Bilt’s 2027 revamp: Bilt just revealed major changes to how you earn and redeem across its loyalty program, most of which kick in next year. Here’s a handy breakdown, and if you have more questions, I’m happy to dig deeper shortly. My quick read: Bilt had nearly a year to make its program less confusing — and it didn’t. That said, the changes themselves are mixed news.
Alaska’s Tokyo surprise: Alaska just announced four new routes from Anchorage, including a wild nonstop to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT). It’ll fly a Boeing 737 MAX 8, and at around eight hours in the air, it’ll be one of the longest — and most unusual — routes operated by a single-aisle plane. (The other three new Anchorage destinations are Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Nashville.)
🔗 Links to use
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