Hello again — or should I say, "welcome home." (More on why below.)
I hope you enjoyed the holiday weekend if you had Monday off.
We headed upstate for the long weekend to one of our favorite family-friendly properties: Mohonk Mountain House near New Paltz, New York.
The foliage was starting to turn, and I loved spending so much time outdoors (when it wasn't raining).
Food and drinks are included, which makes traveling with a big group much easier. I've never been a big fan of all-inclusives, but I'm starting to come around — especially at specialty resorts like this one.
Whatever your take on all-inclusives, there's plenty of big news waiting for you below.
📋 In this edition
First look: Next-gen Delta One
Delta just unveiled the next generation of its signature business-class experience — and there's a lot to love.
It starts with an overhaul of the food, drinks, and amenities in Delta One. Think new entrees (including a signature Wagyu burger), new tableware, new sips (hello, cocktails, mocktails, and Blanton's bourbon), and even a new pillow.
The refreshed service debuts on flights from Los Angeles this fall, then expands to all Delta One routes early next year.
The centerpiece is the next-generation Delta One Suite, which debuts on the Airbus A350-1000 early next year.
I got a first look at the new experience, including a tour of the new seats. Suffice it to say, I came away impressed.
The full October edit
The complete October edit is here. (The women's picks always take me a few extra days. This month, they come courtesy of one of my wife's good friends.)
Here's this month's collection.
Men
Staple crewneck sweater ($49.90)
Women
Favorite hair clips ($24)
Stretch wide-leg pants ($75)
The single best shirt — her words, not mine ($78)
Travel gear, tech, and lifestyle
On-the-go hair dryer: My wife insisted I share this one. Dyson now makes a travel-sized hair dryer that she swears beats anything you'll find in a hotel. (On sale for $299.98)
AirFly Drive: An adapter that makes wired CarPlay and Android Auto wireless. A lifesaver in rental cars. ($39.99)
Away’s brand-new Series 3 bags (starting at $328)
My go-to travel backpack ($228)
Inside Apple’s home push
Last week, Apple's PR team sent me a mysterious invite to a "Welcome Home" experience.
I didn't know what to expect. Now that the event has come and gone, allow me to introduce HomeView — an all-new product line for the company.
HomeView is a smart home hub designed to live in your kitchen, office, or bedroom — or even on your wall.
It can control your smart devices, host a FaceTime call, and even coach you through a recipe while you cook.
It's part of Apple's broader push into the home, which also includes a second-generation HomePod mini and a new Apple TV.
HomeView looks cute in person, but at $299, it isn't cheap. That said, I uncovered seven interesting things Apple left out (on purpose) — and put together a full first look.
United’s big status changes
Listen up, United flyers.
The airline is overhauling its elite status program starting next year — and not everyone will come out ahead.
Here are the three biggest changes:
Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) are going away. Flying a lot used to let you qualify for status with fewer Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs). That shortcut is gone.
Premier 1K will require 32,000 PQPs. That's roughly $32,000 in airfare (before taxes and fees) — the most of any U.S. airline.
The annual head-start bonus will require a United card. You'll need an eligible United credit card (and to have requalified for status) to get bonus PQPs at the start of the year.
There's a lot more to unpack. I broke it all down, including who wins and who loses.
You'll want to read the full breakdown, but I won't bury the lede: Staying loyal to United will require a bigger investment than ever.
Do I think the tiers are out of reach? Maybe. But with airfare still climbing, I'm sure United will have no trouble filling its elite ranks. The mix might just look a little different.
Marriott’s upgrade line and more
On Monday, Marriott brought a group of its most loyal Bonvoy members (and a bunch of press) to its Bethesda, Maryland, headquarters for its annual Marriott Bonvoy Member Day.
(I couldn't make it. I wish Marriott hadn't scheduled it on a federal holiday, when we didn't have child care.)
That said, the chain made two interesting announcements:
An airline-style upgrade list. Marriott is testing a feature that shows elite members where they stand on the upgrade list ahead of check-in.
A new lounge concept. Called Marriott Bonvoy Lounge, it debuts early next year at select hotels in Asia. It's still too early to tell how much of an upgrade it'll be.
A formal upgrade list will make it easier to see where you stand, but I'm not sure I love the idea.
It'll probably make it harder for front desk agents to hand out last-minute, space-available upgrades. Plus, it doesn't tell you much about which upgrades are up for grabs. (A bigger room? A better view? A suite? All three?)
Of course, people generally want more information — and you can bet my OCD will have me checking my spot on the list every few hours.
💡 Tray Table Tip: Why I’d never book this
Lately, I've been getting a lot of reader questions about booking business-class fares through consolidators like business-class.com and skyluxtravel.com.
These companies often advertise fares 70% below retail. With prices up across the board (and these consolidators spending big on marketing), it's tempting.
My take: Never book with them.
Some of these companies buy and sell points on the black market, then sell you the resulting tickets at a discount. Others find cheaper fares through hidden-city ticketing and other practices airlines prohibit.
My biggest issue? If you need to change or cancel, you're usually out of luck. Because of how these tickets are booked, changes are often impossible.
If you've booked with a consolidator before, I'm curious how it went. Hit reply!
🗞️ News you can use
My favorite new rideshare app expands: Empower, the rideshare app that's consistently 20% cheaper than Uber or Lyft, just expanded across Ohio. It now covers 14 major metro areas, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, NYC, Orlando, South Florida, and more. If you haven't downloaded it yet, use my code ZACH at signup for up to $20 in ride credit.
Breeze adds 22 new routes: Breeze Airways is adding 22 new routes and four new cities next year, including Boston. Big news for the five-year-old airline. Here’s the full list.
Nonstop to Seville: Air Canada just announced the only nonstop between North America and Seville, Spain. It launches from Montreal on Sept. 8, 2027, on the Airbus A321XLR — a true game-changer for opening nonstops to secondary destinations.
Singapore's next big unveil: Singapore Airlines will unveil a new end-to-end travel experience next month. After recently debuting new menus and catering, the airline today announced a slew of amenity upgrades. I can't wait to see the seats.
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