Heading to the U.S. Open? Your credit card can get you some serious perks around the tournament, and potentially save you money along the way. Chase and Amex cardholders can access lounges with free food and drinks, shaded seating, and even free MTA ticket giveaways. We break down which cards get you into which spaces and when you need to reserve a spot. If you don't want to spend $23 on a Honey Deuce or splurge on chicken nuggets topped with caviar, these lounges can be pretty appealing.

American Airlines is bringing seatback screens back to its narrowbody planes after years of removing them. The new 4K screens will have Bluetooth, USB-C charging, and more personalized entertainment, but the rollout won't start until 2028. It's a pretty major reversal for an airline that spent years betting travelers would rather use their own devices. Allegiant also just started selling tickets for its new first class, and we look at what you actually get with the new cabin and whether it's worth the upgrade.

On the cruise front, Disney Cruise Line extended a savings offer worth up to $500 per guest on select seven-night sailings, including trips you've already booked, as long as you lock it in by August 30. If you've got a cruise coming up, it's worth checking your reservation.

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The U.S. Open starts next week, and it might honestly be my favorite week of the year in New York. The whole city gets into it. Even people who don’t know anything about tennis suddenly have strong opinions about who’s playing well.

This is Departure Digest, your five-minute travel voice memo. Today we’ve got U.S. Open perks, a major announcement from American Airlines, and a surprisingly expensive airline upgrade.

If you’re heading to the U.S. Open, your credit card can unlock some serious perks. Think airport lounges, but for tennis.

Fan Week starts Aug. 23, and admission’s completely free that week, though the main credit card perks don’t fully kick in until the main draw starts on the 30th.

If you’ve got [certain travel credit cards] or Amex cards, mark your calendar for two different reservation windows.

[One card issuer] has [a cardmember lounge] by the East Gate. It’s air-conditioned and offers free snacks, drinks, and a cash bar. Reservations open at 9 a.m. Eastern the day before your session at [the issuer’s U.S. Open website]. Spots are limited, so if you’re going Tuesday, that alarm’s for Monday.

There’s also [a cardmember terrace], which is first-come, first-served, with shaded seating and views of a few outer courts. And everyone on the grounds, cardholder or not, can borrow a free phone charger from [the issuer’s] stations.

Meanwhile, basically any Amex card gets you into the general Card Member Lounge. It’s more of a hangout spot than a proper lounge. The Centurion Lounge is the one you actually want, with real food and drinks, but it’s harder to get into.

The Centurion Lounge is reserved for Platinum, Business Platinum, and Centurion cardholders, and reservations open through Resy at 9:30 a.m. Eastern daily, starting Aug. 30. That’s your second alarm to set.

Back in the Fan Experience and general Card Member Lounge, Amex is also handing out free MTA subway and bus tickets for cardholders, plus access to massage chairs. There’s also an Amex offer to get $10 back after you spend $100 on site.

If you don’t want to spend $23 on a Honey Deuce, or splurge on chicken nuggets topped with caviar, these lounges start sounding pretty appealing.

Now, some big news that could eventually make your American Airlines flights a lot more comfortable.

American just dropped a major announcement. The airline is bringing seatback screens back to its narrowbody planes, the same screens it spent years ripping out.

We’re talking large 4K screens at every seat, Bluetooth so you can use your own headphones, USB-C charging, and more personalized entertainment. American is also adding more First Class seats and more Main Cabin Extra, so more passengers will have access to extra legroom seats.

Here’s the catch: don’t book American expecting any of this on your next trip. The new screens start with new aircraft deliveries in 2028, and retrofits will happen over time, with the full fleet expected to be finished in the early 2030s.

Still, this is a major step in the right direction. American spent years moving away from seatback entertainment while airlines like Delta and JetBlue kept investing in it. Now American is backtracking and realizing that maybe passengers did want the screen after all.

And Starlink Wi-Fi is coming too, which is fast enough to feel basically like the Wi-Fi you have on the ground.

American isn’t the only airline leaning into a more premium experience, either.

Allegiant, a low-cost airline with Spirit vibes, just started selling tickets for its new First Class. I was expecting a cheap upgrade, but it’s definitely not.

Expect eight seats up front, more legroom, calf rests, priority boarding, plus a personal item, carry-on, and checked bag included. Sounds good, until you see the price.

Prices vary by route, but on two flights I checked, one about two and a half hours, economy was under $90 while First was over $350. Another, a bit over three hours, economy was around $430, First was almost $700.

This probably won’t match a major airline’s premium cabin experience, but it’s priced like one, and Allegiant will probably get away with that since many of its routes don’t have much competition.

Economy did get better though. Allegiant now serves coach passengers free soda, juice, and water.

One more before I let you go.

Disney Cruise Line extended its savings offer to sailings from Oct. 1 through March 31 of next year, covering the Treasure, the Fantasy, and the Wonder. You can save up to $500 per guest on select seven-night sailings, so three people sharing a stateroom could save up to $1,500.

It applies even if you already booked, just call and have them add the discount. Lock it in by Aug. 30.

I’m personally not a cruiser, so this isn’t me telling you to become one. But if you’ve already got one of these sailings on your radar, it’s worth checking if you can save some money on it.

Okay, that was a lot, but mostly positive news! Catch you Friday!