United now sells a basic version of domestic first class, called Base. Think basic economy, but with a bigger seat. Picking a seat costs extra, you get one checked bag instead of two, changes cost about $200, and you earn zero redeemable miles. Standard brings those perks back for a bit more, and for most trips, we’d pay up. Award tickets booked with United miles aren’t affected, at least for now.

On the brighter side, one of our favorite no-annual-fee cards has a limited-time welcome offer that’s ending soon. Through December, it also earns bonus rewards at restaurants and grocery stores, and it doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Also, Monkey Bar, from the team behind 4 Charles and Au Cheval, is now serving breakfast. Dinner there is one of the hardest reservations in New York, so this might be the easiest way to finally get in. And yes, the famous $35 truffle monkey bread is on the menu.

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Picture this. You just dropped 600 bucks to splurge on a first class ticket, and then you get a pop-up asking if you’d like to pay extra to choose your seat. Ouch. Well, that’s a thing now on United.

You’re listening to Departure Digest. Today we’ve got United’s new basic first class, a special card offer that’s ending soon, and an easier way into one of New York’s toughest tables.

Okay, let’s start with United.

As of last week, United’s now selling three versions of domestic first class. Base, Standard, and Flexible.

Think of it as basic economy, but in a bigger seat. You get the same seat, meal, and drinks as everyone else up front. What changes is everything around it. It’s nonrefundable, changes cost about $200, and picking your seat costs extra. You get one checked bag instead of two. And it earns zero redeemable miles, though it still counts a little toward status.

I just did a random search for a Los Angeles to Chicago flight in February. Base was about $550, Standard was about $80 more, and Flexible, which is the refundable one, was closer to $800. Standard is basically what the cheapest first class ticket used to be. So really, this is a fare increase dressed up as a new option.

The seat fee is the part that gets me. If you’re traveling with your partner on the cheapest fare, you might not sit together unless you pay up. Texting someone from row 2 while they’re stuck in row 4, both of you holding first class tickets, is a very specific kind of sad. Unless that’s the goal, in which case, I won’t tell.

If this sounds familiar, we talked about basic premium fares in one of our very first episodes. United started with Polaris, its international business class, Delta followed, and JetBlue has its own versions too. Back then, I bet American, the last big holdout, would join by the end of the year. So far, I’m losing that bet, which, honestly, is fine by me.

The good news is that award tickets booked with United miles aren’t affected, at least for now.

Here’s how I’d think about it. Base only makes sense if you’re flying solo, your plans are locked, and you’re bringing one bag at most. If any of that isn’t true, I’d pay the extra $80 or so for Standard, or see what American is charging on the same route.

Alright, let’s go from an airline charging more for the same seat to a credit card deal I actually like.

[This card] is one of my favorite no-annual-fee cards, and it has a limited-time welcome offer right now. You can earn up to $250 after spending $500 in your first three months. That’s like getting up to half your spending back, but the offer is ending soon.

If you also have [one of the bank’s premium travel cards], that bonus can become up to 25,000 points you can move to transfer partners. Those are airline and hotel programs, like World of Hyatt and United.

The card’s whole thing is rotating categories. Every quarter, [the bank] picks a few types of spending that earn 5% back on up to $1,500 combined, as long as you activate them each quarter.

Now through December, it’s restaurants and grocery stores, excluding Walmart and Target. And since the card already earns 3% on dining, restaurants stack up to 7% back. If all $1,500 went to dinners out, that’s about $100 back.

Grocery stores also stay a 5% category from January through March 2027.

[The card] also has no foreign transaction fees, so you can use it anywhere in the world without worrying about extra charges.

Add in 3% at drugstores, and its earning rates beat some cards that charge an annual fee.

If you’re new to points, or you just don’t want to do the math on whether a card’s fee pays for itself, this is an easy place to start. Fun fact, it was one of the first credit cards I ever applied for. If you’ve been thinking about it, I wouldn’t wait too long.

And if you do get [the card], I have a place in mind for that 7% on dining.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but apparently Monkey Bar in New York serves breakfast now.

It’s from the same group behind 4 Charles, and is one of the hardest reservations in the city.

Breakfast is a lot more low-key. It starts at 7 a.m. daily, and yes, happy to report that the famous $35 truffle monkey bread is on the morning menu. So if you live in New York or you’re visiting this holiday season, and it’s been on your list, this is probably the easiest way to finally try it.

That’s all from me today. Enjoy that monkey bread, and I’ll catch you Wednesday.