Could Your Passport Be Coming to Your Phone?

I visited Banff, Canada, this past July and it is easily the most impressive place I've ever been.

Ottawa, the charming capital of Canada, is a cultural destination often seen as the city of museums. This makes perfect sense with so many unique and educational museums and galleries to explore. In fact, Ottawa is home to seven of Canada’s nine national museums and visitors can experience the entire country in one city and immerse themselves in Canadian history while exploring top attractions. Ottawa has now turned popular points of interest into 156 Unofficial Museums across the region to inspire your next trip.

Somewhere in the world there is an excited dog flying for the first time. Whether this lucky pooch is flying economy or business class, it’s best to be well prepared for the big day. Flying with your dog takes planning and it’s important to prioritize their needs and follow airline requirements. As a travel writer I have met several jet setting pooches on my flights with happy wagging tails and a sense of adventure. But that is not to say all dogs love to fly, even if they do get a window seat on a private jet.

Chaotic schedules, safety issues, and lack of negotiation are a few reasons why aviation unions across Europe are striking. 

New airline passenger protections have passed for our neighbor to the north, offering increased Canadian air rights for travelers impacted by delays and other air travel inconveniences. But advocates on both sides—the airlines and some consumer groups—are not happy with the new rules.

I’ve noticed a worrying trend among airline passengers lately. After an emergency landing, when flyers must evacuate out of a plane, videos emerge in the news of people fleeing the plane while carrying their luggage.

The Zika virus continues to spread and is drastically affecting countries throughout Central and South America, as well as Mexico. At a press conference today, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that there is now a “public health emergency of international concern” over the clusters of microcephaly in Brazil and the suspected (although not scientifically proven) link to microcephaly and birth defects. It’s important to note that this is not a declaration for the actual Zika virus. WHO also stated that “there should be no restrictions on travel or trade with countries, areas and/or territories with Zika virus transmission.”

How, you ask? Apparently thieves figure that tourists typically are (1) likely to be carrying more valuable stuff in their cars than typical locals; (2) once parked, likely to leave their cars unattended for extended time periods; (3) less likely to know local “avoid” spots; (4) more likely to be conned into doing something stupid; and (5) likely to want to keep to their schedules and leave an area rather than stick around to file police reports, ID perps, or testify at hearings or trials. And a rental car is a high-probability sign of a tourist.

If you’re looking for yet another reason to cross the Atlantic, WOW Air just gave you one: The Icelandic-based airline is expanding low transatlantic fares and “second city” air routes.

Passport changes are coming, and if you plan on traveling in the near future—especially if you’re among the 49 million Americans whose passports will expire in the next few years—you need to know what passport changes are in store.

Travel website, Trippy, has put together an awesome infographic showing prices for food, beer, taxis, and hotels in the most and least expensive countries. And the best part is that it updates daily, so you can see the average price of something when you’re planning a trip or once you’re in the destination.