Good Sunday morning from New Orleans, where I’m spending the weekend enjoying some great food and music.
But I recently went to Washington, D.C., where I had the chance to spend 15 minutes chatting with the Transportation Security Administration administrator, who revealed some bold goals for just how many passengers he wants using the TSA PreCheck lanes in the future. Don’t worry — he has a plan to keep wait times short.
Meanwhile, if you prefer Global Entry, a heads up: The application fee officially jumped by $20 to $120 on Tuesday — although several travel credit cards will reimburse the fee. And the best news: Kids are now free!
It was also a big week in the world of points and miles. A month after Scandinavian Airlines joined the SkyTeam alliance, you can now use Delta Air Lines SkyMiles to book long-haul award flights aboard the carrier.
Less exciting, though, was news that Virgin Atlantic is ditching its award chart in favor of dynamic pricing, making Flying Club redemptions far less predictable.
Speaking of points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card already had an alluring welcome offer of 60,000 points after new cardholders spend at least $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. For a limited time, though, Chase is sweetening the deal with up to $300 in statement credits for Chase Travel℠ purchases made during the first year of the account. Together, that’s a welcome offer worth over $1,500 according to TPG’s October 2024 valuations.
Looking ahead to this week, Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days are set for Tuesday and Wednesday. Keep an eye on the newsletter this week for any deals we spot. If you’re planning to take advantage of the savings, now is a great time to consider applying for the no-annual-fee Prime Visa. New applicants (and Prime users) who are approved will receive a $150 gift card instantly upon approval — and 7% back with no-rush shipping on eligible items Tuesday and Wednesday.
Here’s other important information to know this weekend:
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