Delta Airlines' primary headquarters and hub in Atlanta is flourishing. Not so at other hub cities. Since Delta absorbed Northwest Airlines, the Twin Cities area has lost 3,000 jobs associated with the carrier. In Memphis the number of flights has been nearly halved, pushing up air fares to the second highest in the nation. Behind Cincinnati. Which is also a Delta hub.

Passengers who fly Delta out of the Twins Cities pay almost $60 more one-way than if they fly out of airports where Delta has more competition.

At least four “major international fashion-forward retail stores”–three new to town–will replace Bloomingdale’s at Mall of America, vice president of public relations Dan Jasper announced Wednesday.

According to the Associated Press, a special kiosk will be available for pre-approved passengers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport starting Monday. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency predicts it will reduce wait times by 70 percent.

The airline says higher fares are the only way to keep up with rising fuel costs. Delta spent $1 billion more on fuel in this year's third quarter than last year's.

More choices for travelers should translate into lower fares, at least to popular destinations, if rising fuel costs don't squash those savings.