A two-storey bar and more leg room: Inside France’s new high-speed TGV trains

Today, Gallup unveiled its 2025 World Happiness Report, which shared the happiest countries on Earth and, more importantly, what makes them so happy anyway.

The notion that long-distance train travel is a thing of the past—especially in the U.S.—is being challenged by Amtrak. With growing interest from travelers, the U.S. national rail company is shifting its focus and investing heavily in improving its long-distance service. This includes enhancing iconic routes like the California Zephyr, which stretches from Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Crescent, which links New York City and New Orleans.

Don't tell Air France that international first class is a relic of yesteryear.

For the second year running, the editors of Condé Nast Traveller UK put their heads together with some of the most respected people in the food world—the judging panel: chefs Raymond Blanc OBE; Jackson Boxer; Julie Lin; Gizzi Erskine; restaurant critic and food writer Tom Parker Bowles; TikTok sensation Poppy O'Toole; founder of Black Eats LDN Jackson Mclarty; content creator Notorious Foodie; actress and wine bar owner Anna Shaffer; and Traveller UK digital director Sarah Allard—to shine a spotlight on the new restaurants across the UK that have turned heads and won hearts, as well as the chefs, sommeliers, and changemakers making a difference in the industry. The result is this list: the UK's top new restaurants, which acknowledges fine dining spots and fish bars in the same breath, from chef's tables in Birmingham to restaurants with rooms in Norfolk. We've eaten at, loved, and awarded Greek, Thai, Mexican, Punjabi, French, Italian, Korean, and British restaurants—the diversity of the UK food landscape is, after all, the thing that makes it so exciting. These restaurants are places we recommend to you, hand-on-heart, as new openings to visit, support, and enjoy when you travel across the country this year. Happy eating.

Air France unveiled its latest offering today: the new La Première first class product.

Captain Kate McCue, the first woman from the United States to take the helm of a cruise ship, will soon become the first person to captain a Four Seasons yacht.

Hikers will have to pay to climb up Mount Fuji using any of its four main paths starting from this summer. 

Spirit Airlines is splashing out with a 40-route expansion later this spring fresh out of its four-month bankruptcy restructuring.

A one-day strike by workers at 13 German airports, including the Frankfurt and Munich hubs and all the country's other main destinations, has caused the cancellation of most flights on Monday 10 March.

Spring break is just around the corner, and there is a new way to save on flights.  JetBlue recently announced the ‘Big, Blue, Award Travel Sale’ which provides savings and discounts for awards tickets booked with its TrueBlue frequent flyer programs. The promotion has discounted flights to popular spring break getaways such as Aruba, Bermuda, Cancun, Charleston, and Las Vegas.  As an example of the potential savings, a one-way flight from New York (JFK) to Orlando (MCO) can cost as much as 17,400 points. However, with the new sale there are deals available on the exact same route from only 2,700 points, plus $5.60 in taxes.  While the deals may be strong, travelers will need to act fast, as the sale ends at 11:59 PM EST on March 12, 2025. The fare sale is valid on travel from March 19, 2025, through June 11, 2025, however there are several blackout dates in April, and other restrictions apply. Travel + Leisure spotted a variety of other discounted flight routes including:

In an effort to improve business and social settings in rural villages, French MP Guillaume Kasbarian is pushing for a new law that would make it easier to reopen bistros, cafés, and bars.

Get ready for many more options for low-cost flights coming this spring.