Today's lineup includes Emirates partnering with SpaceX for free Wi-Fi across its entire fleet, hotels embedding RFID chips in towels and threatening $17,000 fines, Citi's best-ever AAdvantage Business bonus making a comeback, and a hidden Delta Sky Club perk that skips baggage claim entirely. Plus, Southwest's wheelchair boarding changes and why Marriott's newest brand is really just paint and signage.

Emirates just signed a deal with SpaceX that changes everything about in-flight connectivity. The airline will install Starlink Wi-Fi across its entire fleet by mid-2027 — and it'll be completely free for all passengers in every cabin.

Here's what makes this announcement stand out: Emirates says travelers will be able to connect with the same quality and speed they'd get on the ground. We're talking streaming, video calls, and actual work productivity at 40,000 feet. Installation begins immediately, and the rollout timeline is aggressive compared to most airline technology deployments.

The timing couldn't be better. Emirates also announced yesterday that it's ordering 65 additional Boeing 777X aircraft, bringing its total 777X order to 270 jets. Those new planes will come with Starlink pre-installed, while the existing fleet gets retrofitted. For anyone who regularly books Emirates premium cabins using miles — this is suddenly a much more attractive product. You can find Emirates award availability using programs like Alaska Mileage Plan or Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.

Some hotel guests are discovering that Big Brother extends to bathroom linens. Hotels are now embedding RFID tracking chips in towels, robes, and other items — and at least one property is warning guests they could face fines up to $17,000 for taking them.

The technology tracks inventory in real-time, helping hotels monitor which items go missing and from which rooms. While the official purpose is inventory management and cost control, the threatened penalties are eye-opening. Most properties charge a simple replacement fee if you accidentally pack a towel, but the surveillance element adds a new dimension to hotel stays.

The practice isn't universal yet, but it's spreading. If you're staying at luxury properties or upscale chains, expect this technology to become standard. The good news? If you're not taking anything, you've got nothing to worry about. The concerning news? Hotels are investing more in loss prevention technology than in addressing actual guest experience issues.

Citi just relaunched its best-ever offer for the AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard: 75,000 miles after $5,000 spend, with the $99 annual fee waived the first year. That's essentially 75,000 miles for free if you can hit the minimum spend.

The approval reports are encouraging. Multiple readers mention getting approved with relatively modest business revenue, and Citi tends to be more lenient than Chase on what constitutes a "business." If you've been wanting to build up an AAdvantage balance — particularly with American's improved award availability to Asia and Europe — this is your moment.

The 75,000 miles is enough for a round-trip business class ticket to Europe in off-peak season, or multiple domestic roundtrips. With American's partnerships across oneworld, you can also use these miles on Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, or Cathay Pacific. The application takes about 10 minutes, and approvals are often instant.

Here's an unofficial Delta Sky Club perk that frequent flyers say works consistently: agents will call down to baggage services and have your checked bags pulled from the carousel so you can skip baggage claim and head straight to the lounge.

This isn't published anywhere in Delta's official benefits, but multiple travelers report it working at major hubs. The key is arriving at the lounge entrance and asking politely. Sky Club staff apparently have a direct line to baggage services and can arrange to have your bags held or delivered.

The practical application? If you've got a long connection and want to maximize lounge time, this could save 20-30 minutes standing around baggage claim. It's particularly useful at airports like Atlanta or Detroit where the walk between baggage claim and the Sky Club is significant. Just remember to tip the baggage service staff if they're delivering bags to the lounge — they're doing you a solid that's outside their normal duties.

Southwest will end its wheelchair-boarding advantage on January 26, 2026 when assigned seating takes effect. That change removes the incentive to preboard for early seat selection — but it doesn't touch the real reason unneeded wheelchair requests have exploded: skipping security and boarding lines.

The wheelchair preboarding hack became notorious on Southwest because open seating meant early boarding secured better seats. With assigned seating launching in two months, that advantage disappears. However, wheelchair assistance still gets you priority through security screening and early boarding on every airline — advantages that have nothing to do with Southwest's specific policies.

For Southwest's actual policy changes, the bigger story is assigned seating itself. The airline hasn't released full details on how seat selection will work or whether there'll be charges for preferred seats. Given Southwest's move toward revenue optimization lately, expect some kind of upcharge structure.

Marriott's newest brand, City Express, gives old hotels a second life with minimal investment: two shades of gray, a yellow stripe, new signage, and breakfast. That's basically it.

The brand targets Latin American properties that need refreshing but where full renovations aren't economically viable. By creating a conversion brand with minimal requirements, Marriott can quickly add hundreds of properties to its portfolio without massive capital expenditure. Property owners get the Marriott distribution network and loyalty program access. Guests get... gray walls and free breakfast.

From a points perspective, these will likely be Category 1-3 properties in the Marriott Bonvoy program — cheap redemptions in secondary cities. If you're traveling in Mexico or Central America and need a clean, safe place to sleep, City Express properties could offer solid value at 7,500-15,000 points per night. Just don't expect design awards or Instagram-worthy spaces.

A toy dog was spotted walking the buffet line inside Delta's brand-new Sky Club in Salt Lake City — even though airline policy requires pets to remain inside carriers at all times. Utah's food code is even stricter: live animals are prohibited in food establishments.

Sky Club staff made no inquiry about service-animal status and allowed the dog to roam directly in front of the hot buffet. This isn't just a policy violation — it's a health code violation that could result in citations or temporary closure if health inspectors had been present.

The incident highlights inconsistent policy enforcement across Delta's lounge network. Some Sky Clubs strictly check that pets remain in carriers; others apparently don't. For guests with allergies or concerns about animals near food service areas, it's frustrating that a brand-new flagship lounge couldn't maintain basic health standards on day one. If you encounter similar situations, reporting to lounge management is appropriate — they need to know when policies aren't being followed.

If you're sitting on United miles and planning travel, United MileagePlus is offering a 30% discount on purchased miles through December 31. That brings the cost down to 2.63 cents per mile — reasonable if you're just short of an award redemption you've already found.

There's also a quiet 20% transfer bonus from Rove Miles to Finnair Plus. Finnair Plus is useful for booking Japan Airlines awards, which can offer better availability and pricing than booking through American AAdvantage. If you're planning travel to Asia on JAL, this is worth exploring.

For a complete list of current transfer bonuses and buy points offers, check our regularly updated trackers. We update them as soon as new offers appear.

Today's stories span everything from cutting-edge airline technology to hotels tracking towels with RFID chips. The Emirates Starlink announcement is genuinely significant — free, high-speed Wi-Fi changes the value proposition for long-haul premium cabins. The Citi AAdvantage Business bonus is one of the year's better offers if you're building miles for oneworld travel. And that Delta baggage perk? File it away for your next connection.

Have a great Tuesday,

The Miles & Points Daily Team

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.

Active transfer bonuses worth considering:

Airline programs: