Travel Week in Review – April 28th, 2023

The worst of the pandemic has subsided, countries are accessible again, and airlines expect decent profits now that business and leisure travel has returned. Why, then, are fares still so high? For one, there’s a lack of planes. Airlines idled large portions of their fleets because travel demand was so lackluster during the pandemic that they weren’t needed. Now they can’t bring them back fast enough — it takes 100 working hours to ready the biggest jets for service after being parked away. Read More…

When traveling abroad, it’s a good idea to account for any tourist taxes you must pay during your stay. Some tourist taxes are a small extra cost added to what you pay for your accommodation per night. Others may be a one-and-done (or even daily) fee, such as Thailand’s new tourist tax. In some places like Bhutan, these fees can be quite costly. You might find your vacation spot has implemented this kind of tax for several reasons. Read More…

Across the country, millions of Americans are booking airplane tickets and getting ready to pack their bags to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones this summer. Before heading to the airport, here are a few tips to keep in mind to help your trip go smoothly: Download your airline’s mobile app: Be sure to download your carrier’s app as soon as you purchase a ticket! U.S. airlines have made significant investments in their mobile apps so they can provide important flight updates. Read More…

Waiting in an airport security line is enough to stress out the average flier—especially when it comes to the X-ray conveyor belt, where each passenger is forced to comb through their carry-on bags and remove large electronics and travel-size liquids. But at dozens of U.S. airports, that process is getting simpler. The TSA is spending $1.3 billion to roll out hundreds more of the latest high-tech baggage scanners beginning this summer. Read More…

Bookings for solo travel have almost doubled since the pandemic – 14% of travelers were planning a solo trip in 2019, but now 23% plan on venturing alone. But despite this surge in individuals wanting to experience the world on their own, there are still several barriers in place putting some travelers off. Personal safety remains top of the list of obstacles why solo travelers, particularly females, feel like they can’t take a holiday alone. To protect their own safety, one of the most important things is to share locations. Read More…