In the years before the pandemic, I had a preflight tradition.
If I had access to an airport lounge, before leaving to board my flight, I would grab a copy of a newspaper to peruse while in the air. Or, if an airline offered newspapers on board, I would almost always take one.
In our era of digital devices, it may seem counterintuitive. But I loved the feeling of being disconnected while up in the air — all the while flipping pages of the day’s top headlines.
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Whenever I did this, I would also distinctly recall a childhood memory, that of my parents as they read the Chinese newspaper at the kitchen table on a weekend morning. The paper they read was in a text that felt familiar yet foreign at the same time.
That’s all to say now as a 20-something adult, I savor the opportunity to read something that’s printed, to feel the weight of a crisp piece of paper between my fingers. And there’s a certain personal nostalgia it brings of a bygone era where life felt a bit more carefree.
So when I discovered that the recently-launched “digital entertainment credit” on The Platinum Card® from American Express also applied to physical, print copies of The New York Times, I eagerly signed up.
In the past, I wrote about how the Platinum’s digital entertainment credit — applicable toward only four services — could use a revamp to be more useful for the average consumer. While I still think this credit is far too limiting, it actually has served my needs as an existing Times subscriber.
Here is what the up to $240 annual credit applies towards for the Times:
Eligible purchases for The New York Times include any subscriptions (including digital or print news, NYT Cooking, and New York Times Games) made directly through www.nytimes.com/subscription.
I recently swapped my digital subscription to a print and digital subscription. These days, I get the paper delivered to my New York City apartment every Saturday and Sunday. Now, when I’m at home, I look forward to waking up early, grabbing the paper while sipping my favorite latte from a neighborhood cafe.
Related: It’s a ‘lifestyle’ card now: A closer look at the Amex Platinum’s 6 new benefits launched in 2021
In our current COVID-19 era, newspapers at airport lounges (and onboard cabins on international flights) feel like a relic of the past. Who knows if they will actually return to the airport setting, or if QR codes and endless scrolling will forever replace the satisfying turn of a printed page.
But for now, using my Platinum credit, I at least have something that restores my print fascination. No, it’s not exactly like reading the paper at 30,000 feet, all the while occasionally glancing out the window at the world below.
Getting the New York Times home delivery allows my mind to still disconnect in a way that reading online never could do. That’s how I discovered — or really, rediscovered — the joy of the Sunday paper.
Featured photo by Hadrian/Shutterstock.