Southwest is opening airport lounges, with its first four locations planned for Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, and Nashville. It's another sign that Southwest is becoming a lot more like every other airline. After adding bag fees and assigned seating, its CEO has even hinted that first class could be next.

Then, we're comparing four premium hotel programs from Amex, Capital One, Chase, and Bilt. Fine Hotels + Resorts®, Premier Collection, The Edit℠, and Home Away from Home® can offer extras like free breakfast, property credits, and possible upgrades, but it's still important to compare rates before you book. When it comes to perks, though, Amex's guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout is hard to beat.

Plus, meet Throo, a new rideshare app in NYC that could be worth checking before your next airport trip. It offers flat rates from Manhattan to JFK and LGA, though wait times can be longer and it won't necessarily be cheaper than Uber or Lyft every time. More competition is never a bad thing for riders.

You don't need a Bilt credit card to earn Bilt Points. Join Bilt Rewards for free and earn points on purchases you're already making while still earning rewards from your credit card.

Take Lyft, for example. Link your Bilt and Lyft accounts to earn 2X Bilt Points on eligible rides. You can also earn bonus points at participating restaurants, Walgreens, and fitness studios through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits.

Cruising soon? Pack your swimsuit in your carry-on so you can hit the pool while everyone else is waiting on luggage.

Have a travel or points question? Submit it here and it may be featured in a future episode.

Hello, hello, happy Friday, and welcome back to your favorite podcast.

We’ve got a fun episode today, with Southwest opening airport lounges, a new rideshare app in New York, and a comparison of premium hotel programs.

Let’s start with Southwest. I have some news I genuinely didn’t think I’d be saying a few years ago. Southwest Airlines is opening airport lounges.

The airline that built its entire personality around free bags, open seating, and being a little different from everyone else is officially getting into the airport lounge business.

Southwest just confirmed its first four lounges will be in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, and Nashville, with at least seven more planned after that. The first locations are expected to start opening later next year.

Southwest is partnering with [the bank behind its credit cards] on the lounge network, and a new premium [co-branded] credit card launching in 2027 will get cardholders access. We still don’t know what that card will cost, or whether [other premium cardholders] might eventually get in too.

But the bigger story isn’t really the lounges, it’s what Southwest has become. In the past year, Southwest started charging for bags, added assigned seating and extra-legroom seats, and now lounges tied to a credit card. It’s basically decided to become, dare I say, a normal airline.

And honestly, maybe first class is next. Southwest’s CEO has hinted the airline’s seriously considering it, and with JetBlue just announcing its own new domestic first class this week, that idea doesn’t sound as crazy anymore.

Now, if your long weekend involves getting around New York City, there’s a new rideshare app worth knowing about. It’s called Throo, that’s T-H-R-O-O.

Throo’s trying to compete with Uber and Lyft using a different model. Instead of taking a commission from every ride, it charges drivers a flat $1 fee. The idea is drivers keep more of what they earn, while riders may pay less.

Unlike some newer apps using a subscription model that have raised questions about TLC rules, Throo’s fully licensed.

The catch is it’s still new. Wait times can be longer than Uber or Lyft, and based on the prices I’ve seen, it’s not automatically cheaper for every trip. But the airport pricing could make it worth checking.

Throo offers flat-rate rides from Manhattan to JFK for $79.99, or about 50 bucks from Manhattan to LGA. A yellow cab from Manhattan to JFK has an official $70 flat fare, but once you add surcharges, tolls, and a tip, the total gets considerably higher.

I’m definitely not suggesting you delete Uber or Lyft, but if you’re heading to the airport, Throo’s another app worth checking before you book. More competition is good news for riders.

Speaking of checking before you book, let’s talk hotels. Amex, Capital One, [another major bank], and Bilt all now have their own premium hotel programs. We’re talking Fine Hotels + Resorts, Premier Collection, [that bank’s hotel program], and Home Away from Home.

Think of them as a way to get some elite-like hotel perks, like free breakfast, property credits, possible upgrades, and late checkout, just by booking through the program.

Figuring out which one to use when you have access to multiple can get confusing, so start with something boring but important: compare the actual price first. The perks can be valuable, but don’t assume they automatically make one the best deal.

After that, each program has its own edge. Capital One’s Premier Collection often turns up competitive rates. [Another bank’s hotel program] can give [its premium cardholders] more value from their points through [a points bonus feature] at certain properties, plus a newer price match feature that can refund the difference if you find a lower rate elsewhere. And Bilt’s Home Away from Home lets you redeem Bilt points at 1.25 cents each.

But if I had to pick the single standout perk, it’s Amex’s guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout. Not subject to availability, but guaranteed.

The other three only offer late checkout when the hotel happens to have room for it. And that difference can be huge. You can sleep in, use the pool, shower before your flight, instead of wandering the city with your luggage for five hours.

So compare the price first, then the perks. And don’t forget the credits sitting on your premium cards. Those can change the math fast.

Okay, that’s it for today. Now slam your laptop shut and enjoy the long weekend.

We’re off Monday for the holiday, so have an amazing long weekend, and travel safe. Chat soon!