Travel Week in Review – December 17th, 2021

An executive order issued Monday by President Joe Biden will direct the State Department to make passports renewable online. “Americans will be able to renew their passports securely online, saving time from having to wait and the effort and cost required to print, go to a post office, and use a paper check. This new online process will be done with safety and security.” Currently, the standard processing time for in-person and mail-facilitated passport renewals is between eight and 11 weeks. Read More…

If you travel, especially internationally, then your destination choices are limited by border restrictions and COVID-19 testing requirements for entry and return home. Your travel kit probably includes hand sanitizer, spare facemasks, and disinfectant wipes. Now may be the time to get familiar with a new travel companion — a COVID-19 self-test kit. COVID self-test kits are useful if you’re going somewhere remote with limited access to testing. Read More…

Dear Friends, Dr. Mark Gudgel is a Nebraska native, teacher, wanderer, and WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certified sommelier with a great love for travel and for wine. A regular contributor to Edible Marin & Wine Country and DINE Magazine, he is currently working on a book on The Judgement of Paris, which is scheduled for release in May of 2023. This exclusive and tailored trip is the perfect opportunity to experience The Judgement of Paris wines on the customized journey. We hope you will join us. Read More…

U.S. airlines have begun ramping up Cuba service following the island nation’s reopening to tourists last month. Southwest resumed daily Tampa-Havana flying on Dec. 6 after operating the route on a weekly basis for most of 2021. The carrier also announced Wednesday that it will resume Fort Lauderdale-Havana service on Feb. 17. American and JetBlue have also boosted Cuba’s service. American moved its Miami-Havana route from weekly to daily this month. Read More…

The airline industry’s recovery is being tested this holiday season as passengers return in near pre-pandemic numbers. The resurgence in air travel is being fueled by pent-up demand and the availability of vaccines, along with an apparent lull in virus cases since summer’s big wave. The Transportation Security Administration says that passenger checkpoints are nearly as busy now as they were in 2019, before the pandemic. Airlines have been ramping up capacity to meet this demand. Read More…