I woke up to some genuinely exciting news in my inbox this morning. Delta and United both launched massive credit card bonuses overnight - the kind that make you want to check your 5/24 status immediately.

But that's not all. American's big free Wi-Fi rollout has a problem that's quietly costing subscribers $600 a year, and Amex is tightening Centurion Lounge access again (though I'm not sure it'll actually solve the crowding issue).

Let's dive in.

Which airline just launched a 100,000-mile business card bonus?

The answer is chillin' near the bottom of today's newsletter... keep scrolling. 👇

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card just jumped to 125,000 bonus miles - matching the highest welcome offer we've ever seen on this card. You'll earn 100,000 miles after spending $6,000 in the first six months, plus another 25,000 miles after spending an additional $3,000.

Here's why this matters: The Reserve card comes with a $650 annual fee, but you're getting Delta Sky Club access (valued at $695 alone), a free checked bag, priority boarding, and that annual companion certificate. If you fly Delta even a few times a year, the math works in your favor.

The 125,000-mile bonus is substantial - enough for a round-trip business class ticket to Europe on partner airlines like Air France or KLM, or multiple domestic round-trips. Just remember you'll need to hit $9,000 in total spending within six months to max out the bonus.

For all our Delta coverage and strategy, we've built out a dedicated page tracking all the latest changes and opportunities.

Not to be outdone, the United℠ Business Card just rolled out a 100,000 bonus miles limited time welcome offer. You'll earn 75,000 miles after spending $5,000 in the first three months, plus an additional 25,000 miles after spending $10,000 total in the first six months.

The spending requirements are steeper here - $10,000 in six months to get the full 100,000 miles - but if you're putting business expenses on a card anyway, this is one of the better United offers we've seen.

The card carries a $99 annual fee (waived first year), and you get a free checked bag and priority boarding on United flights. The real value is in those 100,000 United miles - enough for two round-trip domestic flights or a one-way business class ticket to Europe on a partner airline like Lufthansa.

We've covered United extensively - check out our dedicated page for all the latest on MileagePlus sweet spots and redemption strategies.

American Airlines just made Wi-Fi free on most planes - a genuinely great move for passengers. There's just one problem: if you're on the $50-a-month subscription, the charges keep coming unless you manually cancel.

Here's what's happening: The monthly subscription plan covers the same aircraft that now offer free Wi-Fi to everyone. The only difference? Subscribers skip the AT&T ad before connecting. That's it. You're paying $600 a year to avoid a 15-second advertisement.

If you're currently subscribed, email [email protected] right away to cancel. American isn't automatically refunding or canceling these subscriptions, so you'll need to take action yourself.

This is a classic case of companies quietly continuing to bill for services that have become obsolete. Check your credit card statements if you signed up for the subscription months ago - you might not even remember it's still active.

American Express is tightening Centurion Lounge access again - this time targeting guests who aren't on the same flight and limiting long connection layovers to five hours. It sounds like a crackdown, but here's the uncomfortable truth: it won't fix the crowding problem.

The real issue is that there are too many cardmembers with effectively unlimited lounge access relative to the capacity of these lounges. Until Amex caps the number of entries per cardholder or implements reservation systems, the lines will continue.

The new rules are more about optics than actual capacity management. Most guests are already traveling on the same flight as the cardholder, and most connections are under five hours anyway. Amex is targeting the edges while avoiding the core problem: they've issued too many Platinum cards without expanding lounge capacity fast enough.

If you're planning to use a Centurion Lounge on a long layover, make sure you're within that five-hour window now. Otherwise, you might find yourself turned away at the door.

The TSA just launched a new $45 identity verification fee for travelers who show up at airport security without an eligible ID. The program, called TSA ConfirmID, forces passengers to pay to verify their identity through an alternative process.

Here's how it works: If you arrive at the airport without a valid driver's license, passport, or other accepted form of identification, TSA can now charge you $45 to go through an identity verification process. The webpage enabling this process just went live.

This is a significant shift. Previously, TSA would work with passengers to verify their identity through alternative means at no charge (though it was time-consuming and inconvenient). Now there's a direct financial penalty for forgetting your ID.

The takeaway? Double-check your wallet before heading to the airport. That $45 fee is on top of the stress and delay of dealing with the verification process. Just bring your ID.

Lufthansa just confirmed that all of its Airbus A380s will get new business class cabins by mid-2027. But here's the twist: they're not installing the airline's new Allegris seats.

Instead, Lufthansa is retrofitting the A380s with an updated version of their current business class product. This is likely a cost and timing decision - the A380 cabin layout doesn't easily accommodate Allegris, and the airline wants to refresh these planes faster than a full Allegris installation would allow.

The project was originally supposed to start in 2025, but got delayed. Now we're looking at a mid-2027 completion date for the entire A380 fleet. If you're booking Lufthansa business class on an A380 in the next 18 months, you'll likely still get the current product.

For award bookings, this doesn't change much - United miles or Avianca LifeMiles remain your best bet for booking Lufthansa business class at reasonable rates. Just don't expect the fancy new Allegris seats on these specific aircraft.

Earlier I asked which airline just launched a 100,000-mile business card bonus. The answer: United Airlines. The United℠ Business Card is offering 100,000 bonus miles (75,000 after $5,000 spend in three months, plus 25,000 after $10,000 total spend in six months). It's one of the strongest United business card offers we've seen.

Hit reply and let me know - I read every response and love hearing your strategies!

That's all for today, my friends. See you tomorrow with more miles, points, and travel opportunities.

Before we wrap up, I wanted to share some timely opportunities I've been tracking (courtesy of our friends at AwardTravelFinder). These deals won't last long, so let's dive in.

Airline programs:

Hotel programs:

Other programs: