SOLD OUT! –

Cruise lines in Europe are reporting that overwhelming river and ocean cruise bookings have been made this winter. Get this. Viking River Cruises just announced that 89% of its river cruise inventory for 2025 is SOLD OUT. Add to this 88% of their total capacity, which includes ocean cruises in Europe, is also SOLD OUT. Bottom line, is that Americans can’t get enough of Europe river cruising this year. CLICK HERE to read more.

Giant News! Southwest ends “Bags fly FREE” – The airline that spent billions of dollars promoting “Bags fly FREE” has been forced by Wallstreet investors to drop their key differentiator and sadly become like all the other airlines. Southwest has made major changes from eliminating “Bags Fly FREE” and will soon start charging for seat assignments. The elimination of checking in FREE bags will begin on May 28, 2025. I had been predicting that these changes were coming but I was hoping I was wrong. A recent article in the Wallstreet Journal detailed that Southwest could generate over $1 billion dollars by charging for checked bags. Add to that another $1 billion for charging for seat assignments and you can see how the financial pressure was too much for Southwest to ignore anymore. CLICK HERE to read more. 

The best travel deal of the year ends on March 31, 2025 –  Southwest Airlines offers one of the best travel deals of the year for people who sign up for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card. Simply sign up for the credit card, pay the $69 annual fee, and charge $4000 on the credit card in the first three months of opening your account, and you earn an amazing “Companions Fly FREE Pass” that allows you to bring along a designated companion for FREE until 2/28/2026. Add to this you also receive 30,000 bonus miles for additional free travel. This is a great deal. For example if you fly 6 times a year with a ticket cost of $400 RT and bring along a free companion you saved $2400. CLICK HERE to find out more details. 

Is domestic travel starting to slow down? – All the major airlines are reporting that 1st quarter travel domestically was slower than anticipated. United, Delta and American this last week reported they have seen a slow down in travel and they plan to address that by retiring older aircraft earlier than originally thought. Government job cuts, tariffs and geopolitical struggles are causing major declines for flights to Washington D.C. and flights to Canada. CLICK HERE for some good information. 

Did you know that Executive Travel answers our phones on average in 9 seconds? – Executive Travel has a motto that we “Simplify Travel”. One of the ways we do that is we make a commitment to answer our phones in less than 15 seconds with a real person. You don’t have to push buttons or wait on hold for minutes or hours. You see we are high tech AND high touch. We want a real person to answer the phone and be able to help you. If they can’t help you they will find someone who can help. One more reason you should consider having Executive Travel help you with your corporate travel management program.

Portugal, England, and Greece – Escorted Tours for Everyone
I invite you to join us for the finest custom-tailored journeys to Europe this summer and autumn. PORTUGAL, June 14-25, from Porto to Lisbon, offers a journey filled with UNESCO World Heritage cobblestone villages, cork oak forests, Port wine cellars and tastings, ag-related visits, soulful Fado music, and luxurious 4- and 5-star castle hotels. If you have a passion for quilting, fabrics, and fashion, our ENGLAND trip from July 29 to August 9 is perfect for you! Experience Europe’s largest quilt show in Birmingham, visit stunning gardens, dive into The Beatles’ Liverpool, explore the fairy tale Cotswolds, Bath, Stonehenge, and, of course, London! GREECE , September 5-16, promises a journey of a lifetime, guaranteed. Discover the Acropolis, ancient theaters, Ancient Olympia where the Games began, Delphi, and the breathtaking cliffs of Meteora, topped off with the Mamma Mia island of Skopelos… it doesn’t get any better! All tours are fully escorted and limited to 24 travelers. Don’t hesitate to call or email our friendly group department today to secure your spot(s) at 888.549.1186 / GroupDepartment@executivetravel.com

Check out our Weekly Travel Alert Podcast – The Weekly Travel Alert Video Podcast is available on YouTube plus all your favorite podcast stations, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date with everything travel.

Need information on any of the above?
Call our friendly travel advisors…
Lincoln – 402-358-8888 Toll-free 800-737-0582