The Extra Mile, Nov. 6: The Tulum Boom is Over + Charleston, SC Under $299 Roundtrip!

🥂 Singapore’s New Business & First Class Cabins Are (Almost) Here

After years of teasing, hinting, driving us crazy (OK I made that last part up), Singapore Airlines finally pulled back the curtain on its next generation of premium cabins today.

And it’s … well, I’m torn. You’ll see why shortly.

But first, some basics. Singapore is a very good airline – the world’s best, according to SkyTrax and many flyers. It flies to and from – you guessed it – Singapore (SIN), as well as some excellent fifth-freedom routes like New York City (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA). Its business and especially first class cabins are among the most sought-after in this crazy, spoiled-rotten world of award travel.

But it’s become an absolute arms race, with airlines trying to out-luxury one another with more comfort, more privacy, more fancy champagne.

Thus we have Singapore upping the ante yet again with these new seats for many of its Airbus A350s and Boeing 777-9s, whenever the jet manufacturer gets its you-know-what together for that long-awaited (it’s like five years behind schedule now) and yet-to-be-certified widebody plane.

Let’s start with the positives, shall we? The new first class cabins look outstanding. They’re elegant yet understated, warm, and incredibly private. By dropping the wall in the two-seat section in the center of the plane, you can create what the airline is claiming is the largest bed in the sky.

And then there’s business class, which looks … dare I say “cheap” in comparison?

See, there’s that “spoiled rotten” coming through. It’s a plush seat that converts into a lie-flat bed with a privacy door, which would normally cost $5,000 or more. Who am I to complain?

But compared even to Singapore’s current warm and chic business class seats, these new seats just look like a step down. The plain blacks and grays with a splash of yellow make me wonder whether Spirit Airlines’ (RIP) last act was designing these seats.

These are just renderings, of course. I haven’t seen them in the flesh yet … but what’s that old saying? “Definitely always judge a book by its cover” or something like that?

Singapore also unveiled new premium economy and economy seats today … but to be honest, that was clearly an afterthought for the airline. As with the rest of the airline industry, all the attention (and money) is going into the front of the plane these days.

Check out our full story for more photos & details on Singapore business and first class!

– Kyle Potter, executive editor.

🤔 Love (Or Loathe) This Newsletter? Let Us Know & Help Us Out!

Let’s get meta, folks. It’s time to talk about the Extra Mile … inside of the Extra Mile.

We started this here newsletter earlier this year to give travelers like you a way to get caught up on all things airlines, travel news, and points and miles in just five minutes (give or take two minutes) every morning. And honestly, it’s been a ton of fun putting it together. We’re loving it, and we think hope trust you are, too.

But we’re always trying to get better! So we’d love your input on what you’re loving, what you could do without, what we’re missing – anything, really!

Fill out our survey – and don’t you dare hold anything back! – and we’ll automatically enter you in a random drawing for one of three $100 airline gift cards. Saying something mean about Gunnar gets you two entries.

(OK, that’s not true)

I’ll be real with you (for once): We take this very seriously. Helping you travel more for less is our mission – and responsibility. Everything we put in this newsletter starts with the thought, “What do our readers need?”

And to do that, we need to know what you want, what you could do without, what you’re missing, and what you care about most.

So help us out. Pretty please!

– Kyle Potter, executive editor

🤝 Deal of the Day: Charleston, SC Under $299 Roundtrip!

Heat scale (out of 3): 🔥🔥

Why we love it: Book your flights to Charleston – one of our favorite domestic destinations! Secure your trip for this winter while fares are still cheap.

Flying from dozens of U.S. cities, including some Xmas and NYE availability from some cities!

Includes nonstop flights from several cities, too.

Sign up now to get all the details on this deal & don’t miss the next flight deal alert.

Already a member? Log in to see all your deals.

– Gunnar Olson, Thrifty Traveler Premium deal analyst

📡 On Our Radar: The Rise & Fall of Tulum, By the Numbers

Welcome to On Our Radar – a weekly look at the news and trends we’re watching lately!

I’m doing Tulum (TQO) again, OK? I know we’ve talked about this before, but what happened at the Tulum airport is shocking when you look at the numbers.

The impetus for this is United canceling all its flights to the Mexican airport after January 2027 – a retreat made even more drastic by the fact that the carrier was operating 28 flights per week (daily from four hubs) just two years ago.

🏖️ Background: When the airport opened to international traffic in 2024, the airlines were falling all over themselves to set up shop there. At its peak (July 2024), there were more than 300 flights per month flying to Tulum from the U.S. and Canada. This fall, there were fewer than 30.

📉 Next summer, U.S. capacity (by available seat miles) to Tulum will be down 90% from its peak in July 2024. Here’s how that looks on a graph:

🇨🇦 Canada might be the savior here, though. Apparently, Canadians still have an appetite for the airport, as Canadian flights are down only 30% since Canadian capacity peaked in 2025. That’s still a significant decline, but there will actually be more Canadian service to TQO than U.S. service this winter.

So, who’s left in Tulum? It’s all of a sudden a quiet airport.

🇺🇸 American will continue to operate Dallas (DFW) to Tulum (TQO) 5-7 times a week year-round, but it will be the only airline to do so. Its Miami (MIA) route will end in January.

🔺 Delta will operate Atlanta (ATL) flights 5-7 times a week through May, and 🟦 United’s routes from Newark (EWR) and Houston (IAH) are scheduled to stop in January, with no return date announced.

🦫 Up north, Air Canada will run Toronto (YYZ) and Montreal (YUL) 1-2 times per week. Air Transat will compete at YUL and run Quebec City (YQB) 2-3 times per week, while WestJet will compete at both YUL and YYZ and connect the West with a Calgary (YYC) route running twice weekly, too.

So, things aren’t going well at Tulum, but nothing quite puts it all in perspective quite like the next sentence you’re about to read:

🇲🇽 The latest airline to bow out of TQO is … Aeromexico … woof … 😬

– Gunnar Olson, travel reporter and flight deal analyst

🏨 A Rare 200,000-Point Marriott Card Bonus

Marriott and Chase just launched what they’re calling the biggest points offer ever for new cardholders on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase … but you’ve only got until Wednesday, Nov. 11, to get in on it.

New cardholders can earn 200,000 bonus Marriott points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. On top of that, there’s up to $100 in statement credits for airline purchases, paid out in $50 increments twice a year through June 2027.

What sets this apart from Marriott’s past “200,000-point” headlines is the fine print. Earlier this year, this same card offered four free night certificates, each capped at 50,000 points, so you only got full value if you found hotels priced right at that cap.

This time it’s 200,000 actual Marriott points in your account, and you can spend them however you like: one big splurge at a resort, or a handful of nights at more modest hotels around the world. And at $3,000 in three months, the spending bar is much more attainable than the $5,000 or $6,000 that some other big hotel card bonuses require.

There are a few catches. If you already have a Marriott card from Chase, or earned a bonus on one recently, you’re probably not eligible. Chase also generally won’t approve you if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards from any bank in the last 24 months (the 5/24 rule).

The card carries a $95 annual fee that isn’t waived the first year. But if you can meet that spending requirement responsibly, this is a great way to earn a ton of Marriott points.

Learn more about this offer here.

– Nick Serati, Thrifty Traveler co-founder

🎙️ On the Pod: The Best (& Weirdest) Ways to Earn Points

📻 To earn tons and tons of miles, sometimes you have to get weird. And we knew just who to call for a topic like this: Thrifty Traveler’s biggest sicko (endearing) Jackson Newman!

Watch it now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And stay tuned for the next installment next week!

✈️ Why a $150 Airline Card Might Be the Best Deal in Travel

JetBlue raised checked bag fees (again!) earlier this week, now charging at least $50 each way. And that comes just seven months after the airline last increased fees, along with nearly every other U.S. airline like American, Delta, and United.

These days, $45 is about the minimum you should expect to pay for a checked bag … in each direction.

Do the math on a single roundtrip: $45 out, $45 back, that’s $90 per person. For a family of four, that’s $360 in bag fees alone!

That’s exactly why I think co-branded airline cards have never been more valuable. Most cards that include a free checked bag benefit run about $150 a year – though, annual fees are often waived for the first year. That means one family trip or just two trips for a solo traveler will put you comfortably ahead of the annual fee with free checked bags alone.

Here’s how the starter cards stack up:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Free checked bags for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation, plus a second checked bag on domestic itineraries for the primary cardholder only.
• United℠ Explorer Card: Free bags for you and one companion – but only if you pay with the card.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Free bags for you and up to four companions on domestic itineraries and shorter international routes.

Bags are only half the story, though. Discounted award tickets with Delta and United could arguably be the best benefit of all.

Delta pioneered this perk a few years back, adding TakeOff 15 to nearly the full suite of SkyMiles credit cards. With this benefit, you’ll get a 15% discount on each and every Delta-operated flight you book using SkyMiles.

Following a revamp earlier this year, all primary United cardholders now get at least 10% off award tickets on United-operated flights. Have United Premier status, too? That jumps to 15% off.

But United cardholders also get access to a pool of cheaper “saver” awards nobody else can see, making United Cards essential for anyone looking to redeem miles. In many cases, it’s quite literally the difference between paying 200,000 miles for a business class award to Europe, or just 72,000 with a card.

One final thing to note: You don’t need to swipe these airline cards everywhere you go – there are better ways to earn miles. But keeping one in your wallet for the free bags, early boarding, and better award pricing? That’s a pretty easy call.

Read more: Are Co-Branded Airline Credit Cards More Valuable Than Ever?

– Jackson Newman, senior editor

✈️ Other Travel Tidbits

• 🏨 For a limited time, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is offering 4 Category 1-4 free night certificates after spending $5,000 in the first three months. With Category 4 nights now costing up to 25,000 points, those certificates can be worth as much as 100,000 points.
• 🛂 Starting Nov. 16, Lufthansa Group will require a free Travel ID login to check in online for departures from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (and Munich and Zurich). The rollout finishes worldwide by Nov. 30. (One Mile at a Time)
• 🎄 Wyndham Rewards is giving Blue, Gold, and Platinum members a free one-level status upgrade through Dec. 31. U.S. Diamonds get two months of Wyndham Rewards Insider (or 3,000 points if they’re already enrolled). (Wyndham Rewards)