Delta Air Lines is being basic(!), Denver Airport goes underground and the transfer bonuses that are actually worth your while

The Point of It All: A weekly recap of all things happening in TPGLand

Hello, hello! I’m coming to you live from the great city of Philadelphia: home of the Eagles, cheesesteaks and, unfortunately for me as I write this, an impending thunderstorm.

My partner and I took a little jaunt to see a Caroline Rose show, eat at a vegetable-forward restaurant I’ve been dreaming about for the last few years and to do some fieldtrip-inspired historic exploration.

My biggest goal today is to see the Liberty Bell, to learn why it cracked and to hold myself back from making National Treasure jokes.

Live look at me in a couple of hours.

Speaking of Nicolas Cage, if they ever make a movie about the Denver International Airport (DEN) and all of its conspiracy theories, I sincerely hope he’s behind it.

Colorado’s biggest airport announced last week that it is connecting its concourses with underground walkways, which means you’ll get an up-close look at the creatures fabled to live down there! (I’m kidding, but hopeful.)

These walkways will allegedly help passengers bypass the occasional but annoying delays caused by its concourse train, officially known as the Automated Guideway Transit System, when walking between Concourses A and B and B and C.

Denver’s current mode of inter-concourse transportation. DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

This approach reminds me of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, where you can take the Plane Train (a superior name to Denver’s version, sorry) or walk between concourses.

In other aviation news, Delta Air Lines introduced basic categories for business class.

As you might already be aware, airlines have been using ‘basic’ fares to “save money” for consumers, but opting for lower prices tends to eliminate loyalty perks. You’d think if you’re already spending enough to sit in business class, you should get all the perks of business class, but Delta thinks differently.

There are now three new basic-level ticket options in business class: Basic Business (lie-flat seats), Delta First Basic (the fancier seats at the front of single-aisle planes) and Delta Premium Select Basic (long-haul premium economy).

With Delta Basic Business, you can sit here, but you can’t pick your seat. ZACH HONIG/THE POINTS GUY

The wildest change to me is that ‘Basic Business’ doesn’t include entry into Delta One lounges as of January 27, 2027 (despite sitting in the Delta One cabin), nor can you choose your seat.

Not that lounges and seat selection are everything, but it seems convoluted to shell out thousands of dollars and not want everything that comes with the experience. If you are stoked about basic business class, I want to chat! I’m curious if anyone out there is actually happy about this news.

Finally, we’ve got some good transfer bonuses to chat about today.

If you’re a Chase cardholder and you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points to spare, you can transfer them right now for a 30% bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club until July 14. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club uses dynamic pricing for its award flights, so if you want (or need) to travel abroad during the offseason, you can sometimes find really good deals.

Meanwhile, Frontier Airlines has its very first transfer bonus ever from Rove.

Rove miles are new to me, but from what I’ve read, they seem to be pretty worthwhile. You can transfer them to 18 different partners, including Lufthansa Miles & More, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Accor Live Limitless. And now you can transfer them to Frontier Airlines at a 25% bonus, so 1,000 miles become 1,250 miles.

OK, Rove and Frontier! We see you!

With that, this has been the Point of It All. Next week I’ll be coming to you from a teeny island in British Columbia, but until then, stay cool and hydrated! Bye!