Happy Wednesday from Dallas!

I'm on a day trip, which means I'm traveling with just a backpack — my favorite way to get around. (Being the last to board without worrying about gate-checking is a small luxury.)

I'm flying American to and from its mega-hub. My upgrade cleared on the way down (the reward for taking a 6:30 a.m. flight), but the return is booked solid.

What am I doing down here?

Read on. It's a packed edition.

Advertiser and Editorial Disclosure

United just debuted a European-style business-class product on its newest jet, the Airbus A321XLR.

The setup: one row of Economy Plus seats with blocked middles. You get extra shoulder and elbow space, plus a fixed cocktail table between the aisle and window.

United hasn't shared pricing yet, or whether elite members can snag it for free (or at a discount).

This isn't as significant as the Relax Row coming to twin-aisle jets, but the reason United's making the move is where it gets interesting.

Blocking those two middle seats caps the jet at 150 passengers, which means the airline only needs to staff four flight attendants. (A 152-seat configuration would trigger a fifth.)

United says "most transatlantic flights" will still fly with five crew, but on shorter routes, expect four — and likely slower service.

I'd still take one of these new A321XLR suites over Eurobiz any day.

It's finally here. The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opens tomorrow, July 16.

The space measures 18,000 square feet, making it one of the largest in the Sapphire Lounge portfolio.

It sits in Terminal D near Gate D25, and by all accounts, it looks like a stunner. The sleek new whiskey bar might just be the highlight.

The good news: this is why I'm in DFW today. Stay tuned for my complete breakdown.

In the meantime, getting inside requires the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. (Don't have it yet? Here's my affiliate link if you’re interested.)

With this opening, DFW's Terminal D becomes the fourth U.S. airport to house an Amex Centurion Lounge, Chase Sapphire Lounge, and Capital One Lounge. (The others being LaGuardia, JFK, and Las Vegas.)

Isn’t it nice to be spoiled for choice?

Want to get your hands on this long list of travel improvements coming to your iPhone?

No need to wait any longer. Apple just released the public beta of its latest software, including iOS 27, so anyone can download it now.

Here's how:

I've been running the beta since it was announced, and it's held up well without draining my battery.

Better yet, calling an airline and having your iPhone surface your reservation info on the call screen works like a charm.

Until now, one of the best things about Starlink Wi-Fi has been that airlines have been encouraged to offer it free.

That's changing.

The good news: Frontier Airlines just announced it's adding Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet starting early next year. It's a massive upgrade for the budget carrier and means I'll no longer avoid Frontier's previously disconnected jets during the day.

(Ironically, Frontier will offer better Wi-Fi than Delta on most planes.)

The bad news: Frontier will use Starlink's new Wi-Fi portal, which opens the door to paid access.

That's not a surprise given Frontier's ultra-low-cost model, but it'll be interesting to see which other airlines start charging for Starlink. (South American juggernaut Copa Airlines has already said its Starlink won't be free for everyone.)

Heads up for those with the American Express Platinum Card®.

Amex is tightening eligibility for the card's up to $25 monthly digital entertainment statement credit (enrollment required).

Starting Aug. 1, using the credit for Peacock requires a standalone Peacock subscription.

Bundled Peacock subscriptions, add-ons, and third-party purchases will no longer be eligible.

Alternatively, you can switch to another eligible service. Here’s the full list.

My least favorite part of traveling is how much sitting there is.

Unless I've got a tight connection, I skip the moving walkways. If I'm on a call, I'll pace the terminal instead of sitting in the lounge or at the gate.

Some airports have underrated walking options. (Did I miss any in the list below?)

For flights longer than four hours, I wear these compression socks.

It seems the airline network planning teams are waking up from their post-July 4 slumber.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska is adding two new seasonal routes from the mainland to Honolulu. It’ll operate Boeing 737 MAXs from Boise and Spokane to Hawaii beginning in December.

Unfortunately, the airline is also pulling out of Auckland, cutting a legacy Hawaiian Airlines route that's been flying since 2013.

If I were a betting man, I'd say Alaska might be eyeing nonstops from Seattle to Auckland instead. Time will tell.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier is adding four "new" routes (though, despite the airline's marketing, only two of them haven't been operated before).

Here’s the full list.

Spirit operated three of these routes before its demise, and I'm not surprised to see Frontier fill the void.

One of my favorite summer travel hacks: bring your water bottle with ice to the airport.

Fill it before you leave and add water after clearing security. Ice is allowed through TSA checkpoints — a good trick for keeping food cool, too — but water, obviously, isn't.

When I'm traveling around Europe where AC is unreliable, I also pack this portable fan.

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