✈ A Potential Air Travel Trend We Are Not Thrilled About, 16 Best US All-Inclusive Hotels & More Daily News From TPG ✈

Also: What it was like on Amtrak's new Acela 'NexGen' trains

December 23, 2025 View in browser         TOGETHER WITH     TOGETHER WITH

Get ready for 'basic business-class' tickets (cue the groans) by Sean Cudahy, Senior Aviation Reporter Imagine purchasing a $2,000 business-class ticket, but not being allowed to choose your seat or earn miles. Cue the groans, because I think we’re going to be hearing about "basic business class" a lot in 2026. Sound familiar? The idea is pretty similar to basic economy, which has been around for a decade or so. You would purchase the cheapest "discounted" ticket but settle for some restrictions — picture pesky rules like no ticket changes or limited elite status credit. United Airlines seems intrigued. Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, has hinted basic business is coming. In fact, Delta is already trying out a slimmed-down, "basic" version of its Comfort tickets. There's a good chance more "unbundling" is on the way. Heck, we've already seen some European carriers charge business-class passengers for the right to pick which lie-flat pod they want to sit in. Is this good news or all bad? It depends on how it goes. If it makes a lie-flat seat cheaper to score, that could be a win for travelers. But if it causes the baseline business-class fare to stay the same — but with restrictions travelers didn't previously have to think about — that would be frustrating. After all, who wants to pay to check a bag on a $2,500 flight? To be fair, airlines haven't said they're doing this for sure … or what the actual restrictions would be. But I'm filing this under "something to watch in 2026." Delta now sells ‘Comfort Basic’ tickets: What to know before you book How to use credit cards to defeat basic economy Is AI the reason your flight costs more? What Delta's new pricing tech really means These are the best times to buy an international flight Finally! Google Flights adds ability to filter out basic economy Posts in this newsletter contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products, and this may impact how or where they appear. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. Photo Credit: SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY.

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Today's top stories 16 best all-inclusive resorts in the US From all-inclusive beach resorts in Florida to Western dude ranches, these are the best all-inclusive resorts in the U.S. Read more What it was like on Amtrak's new Acela 'NexGen' trains We tested out first and business class on Amtrak's new NextGen train. Read more How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to British Airways Club How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to British Airways Club to book flights, including airline partner award tickets. Read more An exciting new points hotel in Argentina's capital: The Recoleta Grand The Recoleta Grand is an exciting new Autograph Collection hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Read more What's the best international phone plan right now? Having voice, data and texting on your cellphone while you're abroad is important to many travelers. Read more

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The latest 1. These are the best new hotels that opened in 2025 2. Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: Which mid-tier favorite is right for you? 3. The travel credit card that opens the door to luxury Hyatt stays around the world 4. I asked TPG staffers how they manage credit card statement credits — here are 4 tips 5. Credit card transfer bonuses (December): 40% bonus to Virgin Atlantic and more 6. 8 off-season European destinations where you won't be too cold this winter 7. I turned my Amex Hilton Aspire (up to) $50 airline credit into almost $100 worth of travel — here's how 8. This all-inclusive island resort in Mexico has butler service, tequila tastings and a hammam — and you can book it with points 9. How to use ExpertFlyer to find the real reason your flight was delayed or canceled 10. Deal alert: Points and miles travel deals for December 2025

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