Southwest Racing to the Bottom

In this year of corporations disappointing us over and over, the latest is once-beloved Southwest Airlines, now destined to become just another fee-obsessed, unpopular airline. The CEO said six months ago that the “Bags Fly Free” policy was staying, but he apparently has no power to keep his word: Southwest will now be just like American and Delta starting May 28, with baggage fees, restricted basic economy tickets, and the trading of a transparent frequent flier program to an opaque one with variable pricing. As this Cranky Flier article says, “Southwest has erased every single positive differentiator it ever had.” One silver lining is if you have the Southwest credit card, you still get a free checked bag because…that’s what the other legacy airlines do.

A Tiny Travel Speaker and White Noise Machine

This month I’ve been traveling with a new travel speaker, a tiny one called the LectroFan Micro2 that has a couple of unique functions. The speaker portion can rotate up to direct the sound, if you have two you can turn them into Bluetooth stereo speakers, and there are 11 white noise functions to help you sleep like ocean, fan, and rain. Yes I know, you can just dial a white noise sound up from a streaming service anytime, but this doesn’t require any internet connectivity or phone pairing to help you sleep.

2 Large Wheels Beats 4 Small Ones on Suitcases

This newsletter usually features travel recommendations, but sometimes we need to point out something to avoid instead. After watching people struggle with those pretty but not-so-useful spinner suitcases for years, I finally wrote a rant on why to avoid them on my Cheapest Destinations Blog. I have traveled with two well-made ones from good brands, but only when I know my trip will just be a series of airports, hotels, and taxis. That’s because the small plastic wheels can’t hold up to cobblestones, pavers, broken pavement or even carpet in some cases. 4-Wheel Spinner Suitcases are Terrible on Uneven Surfaces.

Top Digital Nomad Destinations Study

Publications are constantly putting out studies about the best digital nomad spots, but many use data points that don’t matter to most of us on the road. This one from CNBC and a visa site is a bit better since it includes cost of living, internet speed, tax-free length, and healthcare options. Spain tops the list, as it often does in these surveys, but it’s an interesting bunch otherwise. The top-10 includes Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, and Brazil.

A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

03/20/25