Hello from somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean!

This has been one hectic week, even by my standards. I began the week in NYC, hopped over to Vegas, went back to NYC, and am now on my way to the next adventure.

As surprising as it may seem, travel days are my most productive ones, especially when it’s just me and my laptop (and functioning Wi-Fi) powering through long flights.

My wife is coming along on this next trip, but her head is currently in her ThinkPad, so mine is free to think about travel. (And for everyone wondering where the baby is — a huge thank-you to my in-laws for fully embracing grandparent duty this weekend.)

If you’re new here (there are hundreds of you!), welcome. Thanks for subscribing. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy this enough to share it with a friend.

Let’s get right to it.

So what was I doing in Vegas earlier this week (besides personally padding MGM’s casino margins)?

Well, I was there to celebrate the opening of the long-awaited new Chase Sapphire Lounge at LAS.

There’s a lot to love about this space. (And one big drawback.)

The good: a unique two-story layout, Chase’s first-ever Champagne parlor (with $60 pours of Gosset Grande Réserve Brut), delectable bites from Momofuku, Vegas-inspired drinks with a kick, and more.

The not-so-good: there are just 87 seats in this 4,590-square-foot lounge.

I haven’t done the counting (yet), but I’d be willing to bet big money that there are plenty of flights from Vegas to New York with more Sapphire Reserve cardholders than that.

Which means that waitlists and overcrowding will likely become the norm here. (Hopefully, the execs at Chase and its rivals who subscribe to this newsletter will read my piece about how I think lounges can easily solve overcrowding.)

When I first posted about the lounge, some sources pondered why Chase would even bother with the investment for fewer than 100 seats.

To me, the answer is threefold.

One, Vegas is one of the busiest U.S. airports and an incredibly important market, especially with all the conference traffic. Two, when you find lounge space, you take it before someone else does. Three, Amex and Capital One are already in Vegas. You don’t want to be the only issuer without a lounge if you can help it.

So yes, Vegas is now home to the ultimate credit card lounge trifecta, joining JFK as the only other airport in the world to hold that title.

For those who want the full take, I have 1,222 more words to share about the lounge.

American Airlines is trying to up its merchandising game. Its latest idea: a $5,000 loyalty pass that gets you:

I crunched the numbers, and it’s not a good deal. I’d love to know how many of these passes American ends up selling.

The airline does say it could make a good gift. If you need my AAdvantage number, I’m happy to provide it.

So far, I’ve taken three flights this week. On two of them, my Apple power adapter fell out of the loose airplane plug within seconds of putting it in.

The solution: use an international travel adapter (even on a domestic flight!). The European round prongs always fit like a glove.

I carry the Anker Nano adapter, and you probably should too. It’s sleek, durable, and has plenty of ports.

Another good option that I also really like is the Epicka Pulse adapter.

This week, a long-time follower penned a Forbes story about my decision to go independent.

It’s way too nice, but if you’re interested in some nuggets I’ve never shared publicly before, they’re buried inside.

Another follower reached out to ask about my outfit during the Las Vegas trip.

Here’s what it was:

And as always, before you do any online shopping, be sure you’re using Rakuten. You’ll get cash (or points) back, in addition to your standard credit card perks.

Even if you’re not a shopper, Hyatt, Marriott, and IHG are all on Rakuten, meaning that you can even earn cash back on hotel stays. IHG is even offering up to 10% back today.

Sign up now with my referral link for $50 in free credit for new Rakuten users.

When you signed up for this newsletter, you should’ve received my five most underrated travel hacks that no one else talks about as your welcome gift. (If you didn’t, check your spam and promotions tab.)

I promised they’d be unique, though I guess I might’ve been speaking Greek to some of you when I talked about trip nesting.

Given the number of people who reached out with questions about nesting, see the link below for an early holiday gift from me to you.

This is only the fourth edition of From the Tray Table, and I’m still figuring out a cadence and coverage plan that works for me. If you have feedback or strong thoughts, please reply to me — after all, I’m really putting this together for you.

In that vein, there will also be some things that cross my desk that aren’t big enough for a dedicated newsletter or a special subsection, so I’m going to keep this “news you can use” going until I hear otherwise.

That’s all for this week. Jill and I are going all-in on relax mode this weekend.

I’ll be back in your inbox early next week. Stay tuned to my socials for live updates.