A practical guide to riding the rails in the US, from train passes to delays

Train fans and frequent travelers between Las Vegas and Los Angeles will have a new high-speed option that gets them from Point A to Point B. The Biden Administration has announced several projects to give travelers another way to travel. Here’s where rail projects are taking place, with several to begin construction in 2024.

With the new year just around the corner, these new hotels should be on the travel radar. For some, bucket list travel may be the best holiday present of all. Others enjoy the anticipation of planning the trip together, especially if you can redeem hard-earned loyalty points to make the trip more affordable. A handful will be lucky enough to win a free vacation trip, but for everyone else, these are some of the newest hotels worth exploring in 2024.

Do you already have 2024 New Year’s Eve plans? What if you could celebrate the ball dropping twice in one day? The Napa Valley Wine Train is partnering with the legendary Grgich Hills winery for “Midnight In Paris: A Legacy NYE Celebration” to commemorate not only the new year but also to honor Winemaker Miljenko “Mike” Grgich who recently passed away at the age of 100.

With busy airports, full flights and the ending of most travel restrictions, 2023 marked a return to travel, mostly as we knew it before the pandemic began. Nearly every peak travel period in 2023 broke air travel records, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. An estimated record-breaking 4.7 billion people are expected to travel in 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association.

With more than 115 million Americans expected to travel over the next few weeks, according to AAA, this holiday season is gearing up to be one of the busiest ones ever.

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.

Closets organized by seasons, labeled containers in the pantry, shoes laid out by style and color—we all have that friend or loved one who can’t help but organize every element of their life. If you happen to be shopping for such a person this holiday season, there’s no doubt that they’re just as tidy when they travel. Thankfully, there are plenty of accessories to help them maintain their propensity for orderliness while on the move. From a thoughtfully designed toiletry bag to premium TSA-approved containers, these are the best gifts for organized travelers.

The ‘Hogwarts Express’ train - one of the most iconic rail experiences in the UK - is facing trouble down the line.

For travelers dreaming of being home for Christmas without airplane delays, a new study has helpful data points that can potentially make your holiday travels hassle-free. 

Skipping the buzz—and the calories – has gotten much more enjoyable. Even in the past six months, the non-alcoholic wine space has improved dramatically, with new offerings showing surprising complexity. My list this year includes a couple of debuts and some old favorites. I’ve noted how these beverages were made – some start with fermented grapes – actual wine—then use complex chemistry to remove the alcohol. These might hew closer to a traditional wine to many palates. Then there are beverages that use a mixture of teas, juices, spices or other elements to give the experience of wine – mouthfeel, complex nose and palate. These alternatives are generally not meant to emulate a particular varietal, but rather give the drinker a pleasing adult beverage to enjoy in situations where you’d normally drink wine. Here are this year’s top picks.

Japan is already primed and ready to be the hottest travel destination in 2024.

“If you need to update Facebook, do it now,” the conductor announces over the tannoy. The passengers chuckle but dutifully pull out their phones. As we trundle into the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, we’re about to enter another mobile dead zone.