Fierce airline competition could mean lower fares for travelers who don't mind roughing it this summer, Alex writes.

• Delta, United and American are pushing cheap, no-frills tickets to fight back against ultra-low-cost rivals Frontier and Spirit, Bloomberg reports.

• The big airlines hope discount flyers will "buy up" to more expensive tickets, with benefits like seat selection, free carry-ons and more.

Yes, but: The ultra-cheap carriers are responding with novel offerings.

• Frontier flyers can now pay extra for more legroom, priority deboarding and — hallelujah! — a guaranteed empty middle seat.
• "We're actually quite encouraged by its performance," Frontier president James Dempsey said of the option, UpFront Plus, during the company's most recent earnings call.

Meanwhile, newer budget carriers like Avelo and Play are trying to break in via smaller airports outside major cities.

• Play just announced service to Croatia, Marrakech and more from Stewart International Airport — JFK and LaGuardia's oft-forgotten little cousin up in the Hudson Valley.

The bottom line: Despite high airfares broadly speaking, it's still possible to fly on the cheap — if you don't mind a no-frills flight.

President Biden defended the power and value of democracy during a speech today in Pointe du Hoc, where allied forces invaded Nazi-occupied France in World War II, Axios' Ivana Saric reports.

• "American democracy asks the hardest of things: to believe that we're a part of something bigger than ourselves. So democracy begins with each of us," Biden said.

Biden also drew a parallel between the fight against fascism 80 years ago and the need today to defend democracy around the world.

• "Does anyone doubt that they would want America to stand up against Putin's aggression here in Europe today" or to "vanquish hateful ideologies of today?" Biden asked.

Go deeper.

1. 🌡️ "Dangerously hot" conditions from California to Texas may peak today, though extreme heat will continue. Go deeper.
2. 📈 The U.S. economy added 272,000 jobs in May, while unemployment edged up to 4% (from 3.9%). Go deeper.
3. 💰 Justice Clarence Thomas officially disclosed two 2019 trips paid for by a Republican megadonor. Go deeper.

Retailers are struggling to rein in gift card scammers, Axios' Sam Sabin reports.

• Americans lost at least $217 million to gift card scams last year, the FTC says — and many victims are too embarrassed to report being targeted.

Some gift card scams start with texts from people pretending to be tech support, your boss or a government agent.

• Eventually, scammers will ask you to buy gift cards on their behalf and text them the barcode number.

The big picture: Gift cards, like cryptocurrencies, give scammers easy access to difficult-to-trace money.

• Because most gift cards are offered through third-party brands, it's hard for retailers to tell how and where the money was spent.

Go deeper ... get Axios Codebook.