Good morning, folks. Today's newsletter features some pretty sweet innovations in the travel world. Since I was in the "epic new technology" mood, I played with some AI software earlier that generates images using simple text prompts.
Here's the prompt I used:
"Highly detailed oil painting in the style of Caspar David Friedrich depicting a winged centaur enjoying a Starbucks latte in nature"
And here's what it came up with...
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Terrifying? Or incredible? Or both? I'll let you be the judge.
Anyway, here's what's on the docket today, friends:
- ✈️ United Airlines orders 200 brand spankin' new Dreamliners
- 🏨 Earn 3,000 Marriott Bonvoy points while sitting on your couch today
- 🖼️ Sponsored by Masterworks
- 🚕 The future of travel has arrived: Air Taxis
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✈️ United Airlines orders 200 Dreamliners
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In a shocking turn of events, United Airlines has decided to completely revolutionize the way they do business by ordering some NEW planes. I know, I know - groundbreaking stuff.
It's almost as if they're trying to stay competitive in the industry or something. I mean, what a novel idea.
But honestly, this is actually really exciting and groundbreaking, and I'll tell you why.
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First of all, they've announced that they will be ordering up to 200 brand-new Dreamliners.
This is the largest order of widebody planes in U.S. history. The fact that United is placing such a large order means they aren't thinking about the next two years but rather the next ten years.
It also means they plan to do at least one of these things:
- Replace old, outdated planes with new ones
- Expand their long-haul route network
- Increase frequencies on existing long-haul routes
That means that instead of flying for 12 hours in a 20-year-old Boeing 767 with cardboard-like seats and no in-flight entertainment, more passengers will fly on one of the most comfortable birds in the sky.
In case you weren't aware, the Dreamliner features things like larger windows, better air circulation, lower cabin pressure, and customized lighting patterns, all of which make for an extremely comfortable flight and have been proven to reduce jetlag.
So yeah, it's basically the hotshot plane on the market making all the heads turn...
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But that's precisely why it's so exciting that United has gone for the luxury option over the cheapest option.
If you've never experienced United's Polaris business class seat, you're missing out. It's one of the best business class seats in the sky, and all of these new Dreamliners will be outfitted with these new, luxurious interiors.
If you're thinking, "Darn, I never fly long-distance. I wish United would give some love to their smaller planes, too," then I've got great news.
United is also ordering more than 50 brand new 737 Max planes to both replace older small aircraft and continue to expand its route network.
The 737 Max is one of my favorite planes in the sky. Much like the Dreamliner, I find they are incredibly comfortable, usually have newer interiors (since the planes are so new), and are the quietest birds to fly on.
So here's the bottom line:
United is investing in its future and going all in. Not only are they expanding their fleet massively, but they want to be the most comfortable and pleasant flying experience as well.
Given the negative press other airlines have gotten recently around axing lounge access, devaluing programs, and more (not that United has been criticism-free over the years), It's really exciting to see them making moves in the completely opposite direction.
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🏨 Earn 3,000 Marriott points in about a minute
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It's been a while since we've talked about Marriott, huh?
I feel like I've been neglecting them a little... and it seems that they might also feel a bit neglected because they're currently offering 3,000 Marriott Bonvoy points simply for linking your Marriott and Uber accounts.
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Considering you don't need to make any purchase with Marriott or Uber, and the linking only takes about a minute, this is a sweet deal.
"But Mike, surely there's more to this Daily Drop segment. I mean, 3,000 points is pretty boring if you ask me..."
Well, you're right - there's more to it.... and don't call me Shirley.
If you have multiple people in your household, this is a very low-effort way to rack up some serious points. Marriott lets you transfer up to 100,000 points per year to any other member with no fees attached.
Let's say you and your spouse, significant other, or roommate link your accounts, rack up 6,000 points total, and consolidate them into one account. Without staying a single night at a Marriott hotel, you've already got enough points for a free night somewhere.
For example, I'll be traveling to Paraguay in a few months and was recently doing some planning for my trip.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could book the Aloft Hotel in the capital city of Asuncion for only 6,000 Bonvoy points per night, which is a fantastic deal.
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In fact, there are actually plenty of properties around the world that cost around that many points.
Next month I'll be staying at the Courtyard by Marriott in Tashkent, Uzbekistan - a property that also only costs around 6,000 points per night. 👇
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What I'm trying to say is this: Marriott has offered us some serious low-hanging fruit with this deal, so take advantage of it while you can.
Linking your account is simple: just follow the instructions on this page.
The fact that you could potentially get a free hotel night in exchange for 5 minutes of your time is never something to ignore!
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🖼️ Wi-Fi + 7 Minutes + a Pulse = Profit?
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Beeeeeep! What’s that sound? It’s your portfolio flatlining from an imploding stock market, crypto meltdown, and the worst inflation since Saturday Night Fever.
How can you shock it back to life? (Note: This has nothing to do with bell bottoms.)
Try an asset that the ultra-wealthy have used to boost their gains for centuries: blue-chip art, which has outpaced the S&P by a whopping 164% over the last 25 years.
But wait, don’t you need to be a Studio 54 VIP to invest in Picassos and Warhols?
Nope, you just need Masterworks – the 500,00+ user investment platform where you can invest in shares of multi-million dollar art.
Since launching, they’ve delivered a groovy 29% average net realized return. Results like those will make you want to start singing “Stayin’ Alive.”
Due to record demand, there’s a huge waitlist to join. But, Daily Drop subscribers can completely skip it with this exclusive referral link. 👇
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🚕 Air taxis will be here sooner than you might think
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Are you tired of sitting in traffic, wasting your precious time on the road when you could be lounging on a beach sipping a margarita? Well, have no fear because the solution to your traffic woes has finally arrived: air taxis!
That's right. The FAA has issued airworthiness criteria for Archer Aviation's new air taxi. This means that Archer Aviation now knows exactly what requirements need to be filled to be considered "airworthy."
This is a huge development in the travel/aviation/futuristic tech space.
Up until this point, we've only had a few types of flying machines, all of which needed to meet the same general criteria to fly.
The fact that the FAA has made this leap means that futuristic technology like flying freakin' taxis is no longer just theoretical. The vehicles exist, the rules have been written, and now we're one small step away from a real-life Jetsons-esque world.
To make things even more exciting, there are a few different companies competing in this market, each of which is backed by different major U.S. airlines.
This likely means that airlines will incorporate this mode of transportation into their business models. This might include things like smaller, private regional trips or even a convenient way for first-class passengers to get from their front door to the boarding gate.
Overall, the future is looking pretty darn cool if you ask me.
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That's all I got for today! What an exciting day in the aviation world, right?
Would you get into a flying taxi? After all of the ups and downs of U.S. airlines, which one of the "Big 3" are you most likely to fly with the most? Let me know by replying to this email or reaching out on social media.
Take care,
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