Travel Week in Review – May 5th, 2023

As any Uber rider or latte drinker knows, digital tip jars have become ubiquitous in an increasingly cashless society. Most hotels, however, have been slow to jump on the mobile tipping bandwagon. The lag isn’t due to any shortage of solutions. In the past few years, well over a dozen digital tipping startups have hit the market, with several players specifically targeting the hospitality sector. These include companies like eTip and Kickfin. Read More…

Thousands of travelers have submitted applications for U.S. passport renewal, only to face long delays. Late last month, the Secretary of State said that the State Department is seeing “unprecedented demand” for passports as travel rebounds in a big way. While the State Department is taking measures to ease the strain (like holding passport fairs for first-time applicants), a major backlog of applications has choked operations. Read More…

You generally feel pretty confident when you reserve a vehicle through a big-name rental car company like Hertz or Avis – you have a decent idea of what the experience will be like. So what should you do when you search for a rental car and find an amazing price that’s hundreds of dollars lower than what competitors are offering – but it’s with a rental car company you’ve never heard of, like Zezgo or Nu car rentals? Read More…

The glory days of aviation might be long behind us, but that doesn’t mean the process needs to be miserable today. Though there’s nothing appealing about flying in a middle seat in economy, there are some airline perks that can improve your flight experience. Of course, some of those are reserved for business-class passengers, but there are many available to all. Here are eight airline perks you might not know about. Some airlines have special check-in areas for business-class passengers. Read More…

Knowing who to tip—along with how much to give and when you should hand over the gratuity—is one of the most stressful parts of traveling. We’re aiming to take the mystery out of tipping. This guide was designed to clear up confusion around tipping the people you most commonly encounter on your travels, from waiters to hotel housekeeping. Tipping expectations vary significantly around the world. These guidelines are based on current US standards for tips. Read More…