16 things to know before you go to Spain

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, October 15, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today. 

Thousands of locals in Barcelona took to the streets on Sunday to demand that the city stop hosting the America’s Cup and other large tourism events.

When TPG Senior Writer Ben Smithson alerted me to Air France-KLM Flying Blue's July Promo Reward sale — flights from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Europe started at 15,000 Flying Blue miles each way — I was excited. Deals like this aren't exactly rare, but most of them depart from either the East Coast or West Coast, and I'm based in Colorado. I've considered booking positioning flights to take advantage of past deals, but the cost and hassle never ended up being worth it.

It's 12 p.m. on Thursday and I am running through the streets of Brooklyn. I have to be out of New York City and on the highway north to reach Storm King Art Center by 3 p.m., when Charli XCX will be bumping her new album at a surprise listening party. Streaming in from directions unknown, hundreds of other fans have likewise shirked their responsibilities for the day—skipping work and school, canceling plans, ditching kids with partners—and booked it to this 500-acre sculpture park in New Windsor, New York, on the vague premise of exclusively hearing Charli XCX's latest music the day before the album's release. Some have taken four-hour trains; others, carpooled with strangers; the most die-hard brats are seeing her for the fourth or fifth time, after having followed her to California, Spain, and beyond. For her part, I know Charli herself will be on a plane the minute the show ends, given she's in the middle of her North America tour.

Oct 13, 2024 • 7 min read

Paris, Rome and Madrid might be what comes to mind when planning a summer vacation. But what about a trip to the capital of Mongolia?

United Airlines just announced its largest-ever international route expansion for summer 2025—including increased flights to tourist-favorite countries like Spain, Italy, and France and brand new routes to lesser-visited destinations like Mongolia, Greenland, and Senegal.

United Airlines is making bold route decisions as it continues to expand its giant international presence.

Daniela Jacobs, the founder and designer of Arc, a line of minimalist jewelry and home goods, is perhaps best known for her porcelain creations in shades of ecru and eggshell. But in 2018, a translucent organza garment that Jacobs created for a photo shoot led to such an unexpected swell of purchase inquiries that she decided to create a handful of one-of-a-kind garments to sell, titling it her Invisibles collection. Now, after 10 years in business, Jacobs is releasing a new batch of designs that explore the concept of invisibility with Arc Glass, a limited-edition capsule of rings, bangles, candle holders and plates made of borosilicate glass. In addition to pieces that are completely see-through, a handful of the designs are rendered in black, as well as a smoky hue that changes in different lights. “It almost has a turquoise tint to it, which feels right to me because of the Mediterranean vibe,” says Jacobs, who splits her time between New York and Majorca. As with her porcelain pieces, Jacobs’s glass creations require a bit of mindfulness when worn, but she insists that they’re made for everyday use. “I wear them on the subway. I wear them biking. I wear them when I’m in Spain. When I go to the sea, I take them off and put them on a rock; I come back, they’re fine,” she says.

Seabourn is changing some of its fall 2025 itineraries amid the ongoing Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea.

Baja California has solidified its position as a world-class wine region, securing 32 of the 52 medals awarded to Mexico at the prestigious 2024 Bacchus International Wines and Vermouth Competition. This remarkable achievement underscores the exceptional quality of wines produced in the region.

Airbus is about to kick-start a new era of long-haul travel.