Welcome to Gate C71, the insider briefing for travelers who refuse to be caught off guard. Every Friday, we share the TSA, airline, and airport updates most people never hear about, so you always know exactly what to do before you fly.

Hey, Megan here from Portable Professional. 👋

TODAY AT THE GATE

✓ Why Your Plane Ticket Costs More Than the Price You See — a court ruling, a $543M loss, and how you can prepare

✓ Your iPhone Has 12 HIDDEN Travel Features — the free iPhone tricks most travelers don't know about

✓ Next Week's Video Sneak Peek — 10 in-flight mistakes you didn't know you were making

✓ Travel Trivia Results — 57,000 people voted, 81% got it right. Did you?

✓ Important Travel Updates — Europe's new biometric border, a near-merger, and Delta's cuts

✓ A Quick Note Before You Go — the one thing airlines can’t take from you

Something genuinely angered me this week, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it angered you too.

A federal court just officially killed a rule that would have forced airlines to show you every fee upfront. Baggage. Seat selection. Change fees. All of it. Visible before you ever clicked "book."

The Department of Transportation (DOT) estimated the rule would have saved travelers around $543 million a year.

It's been a long fight coming too. The rule was finalized in April 2024.

Airlines for America, the industry trade group representing major carriers like American, Delta, and United, led the lawsuit.

But the court paused the rule that summer.

Then on February 3rd of this year, the full Fifth Circuit (all 17 active judges) vacated it. The rule is officially dead.

Right when summer fares are climbing 15 to 20 percent, and checked bag fees just hit $45 across most major carriers.

So what do you do now?

You stop trusting the price you see, and you follow the two steps below. It takes about two minutes.

Step one: figure out the REAL cost of your trip.

Before you book anything, list out what you actually need. One checked bag round trip? Add $90 (it's $45 each way on Delta, United, and Southwest).

Want to pick your seat? Add another $20 to $80 round trip.

Need to change the flight later? That's another fee on most "basic" fares.

Add it all to the advertised price. That's your real number.

Step two: compare apples to apples.

Once you have the true total for one airline, do the same exercise on at least one other carrier. Sometimes the airline that looked $40 cheaper at first glance is actually $60 more expensive once bags and seat selection are added in.

The "cheapest" base fare isn’t always the cheapest trip.

I do this every single time I book now, and it's saved me more than I'd like to admit. The system isn't going to be transparent for us, so we have to be transparent for ourselves.

What's the worst surprise fee you've ever been hit with at the airport?

Hit reply and tell me. I read every single one.

Did you know your iPhone is probably the most underrated travel companion you own?

In my most recent video, I'm pulling back the curtain on the iPhone features I genuinely can't believe more travelers don't know about. They're free, already on your phone, and the difference they'll make on your next trip is honestly a little ridiculous.

Here's a peek at what's inside:

✔️ The hidden iPhone trick that translates a foreign menu in seconds (no Wi-Fi needed)

✔️ The 30-second text-yourself hack that turns your phone into a live flight tracker

✔️ A small device under the size of a quarter so you'll never panic at a baggage carousel again

✔️ The free app already on your iPhone that prevents oversized luggage fees in 30 seconds

✔️ The two safety features I'd never travel without, especially internationally

You'll watch this and immediately want to set up at least three of them before your next trip.

🎥 Click here to watch the full video before your next flight!

Most travelers think they've got flying figured out. Then one small habit costs them comfort, sleep, or even their flight.

Next week, I'm walking you through 10 in-flight mistakes that catch even seasoned fliers off guard.

Some are obvious, a few will surprise you, and one of them is technically banned by every major US airline, even though most travelers do it anyway.

🎥 Make sure you’re subscribed here so you don’t miss it!

I asked:

👉 “In which country is it illegal to sell or import chewing gum?”

With over 57,000 votes, here's how the answers stacked up:

Singapore banned the sale and import of chewing gum back in 1992 to keep the city spotless. Chewing it isn't actually illegal. You just can't buy it or bring it in.

💡Fun Fact:

One of the original reasons for the ban was that gum stuck to MRT subway door sensors kept jamming the doors and causing delays across the network. An entire city's transit, slowed down by a few pieces of gum.

⏰ Weekly quizzes drop Tuesday at 5 PM ET on the Community tab.

Next week's trivia is one of those "where on the map" questions that sounds easy until you see the question!

Most travelers get this one wrong on the first try.

Think you can do better?

Head to the Community tab on Tuesday at 5 PM ET to take your guess!

Europe's Entry/Exit System launched fully on April 10th. It replaces passport stamps with fingerprints and a facial scan for every non-EU traveler entering the 29 Schengen countries. Wait times have already stretched four to five times longer than normal at some airports, so give yourself an extra hour if you're heading to Europe this summer.

➡️ Click here to learn more about Europe's new entry system

United's Scott Kirby publicly confirmed on April 27th that he approached American Airlines about a merger. American shut it down hard, calling the idea "anticompetitive," and President Trump said he was against it too. The combined airline would have been the largest in the country and would have reshaped almost every loyalty program, but for now, the deal is dead.

➡️ Click here to learn more about the United-American merger drama

Delta announced on its Q1 earnings call that it's reducing summer 2026 capacity to manage higher fuel costs. The cuts target off-peak, edge-of-day, and red-eye flights, which are often the cheaper options on the schedule. If you have Delta flights booked between now and September, double-check your itinerary.

➡️ Click here to learn more about Delta's summer flight cuts

Sitting with this court ruling reminded me why this newsletter exists.

Not to make travel feel scary, but rather the opposite, and to make sure that when the rules shift, you're the one who already knows about it.

The airlines will always have the advantage: complexity, dozens of fees buried in the fine print, all designed to confuse.

Your advantage is being prepared.

And that's something no court ruling, no hidden fee, and no policy change can take from you.

You know what to look for now, and what questions to ask.

And that makes all the difference.

Happy travels, and see you soon,

– Megan