Travel in city Paris, county Charles

Already planning your Christmas break? France is about to open up to holidaymakers with a bunch of new train routes.

We’re just a few months away from the 2024 Olympics and host city Paris is gearing up for an influx of visitors.

SNCTA, the largest union representing air traffic controllers in France, has dropped plans for a 24-hour strike on Thursday after reaching a deal on pay and working conditions.

Skytrax has released its annual ranking of the world's best airports — and if you're a frequent flyer it may come as little surprise that none in the US made the top 20.

Online travel booking sites report higher hotel rates in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, but Paris isn’t alone. Some Olympic events will take place beyond the city limits, and there were increases in hotel rates for these other destinations, as well.

Close to 8.5 billion passengers took a plane trip last year, according to Airports Council International (ACI) World’s just-released list of the top 10 busiest airports worldwide for 2023.

The services operated by Eastern Airways  are bookable at easternairways.com and  via Air France airfrance.co.uk which includes onward connectivity, Air France being part of the Air France-KLM Group.

The flight time is approximately two hours and 10 minutes.

As the world prepares for the 2024 Summer Olympics from Paris between July 26 and August 11, Air France is expanding service to the United States and North America to support the increased demand.

Could easyJet add one of the world’s most expensive airports to its route map? 

Spain is proposing a short-haul flight ban for routes where a train journey is possible under 2.5 hours. It's a similar proposal to the one that France has enshrined in law. As many EU countries try to reach ambitious 2050 climate targets, many are making similar moves to discourage flying and encourage train travel.

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Shannon Airport had a strong growth surge in 2023 with 1.958 million passengers welcomed to the airport, a 29 per cent increase on 2022 activity. This strong performance saw the airport achieve its highest passenger numbers since 2009, 14 years ago, with growth in air services across all markets.

A new low-cost airline is giving passengers the opportunity to travel to two different countries for the price of one.  This week, Play Airlines announced a new sale that provides discounted fares combined with the opportunity to add a multi-day stopover in their main hub of Reykjavík, Iceland. For example, a traveler can book a ticket from Boston Logan Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and add a several-day visit to Iceland in the middle, for no extra charge.  The carrier operates services in the United States departing from New York (SWF — Stewart International Airport), Boston (BOS), Baltimore (BWI), and Washington (IAD). The flights often connect in Iceland to various destinations in Europe including London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. The fare sale offers $99 flights to Iceland from the U.S., or $129 on fares that continue to one of the Europe destinations. The promotion is valid from now through Feb. 6 at 11:59 p.m. EST for travel through December, with the exception of June, July, and August. The maximum stopover in Iceland is ten days. The fares include all taxes and are booked in the «PLAY Basic» category, which only includes a personal item. Travelers can bring carry-on or checked bags for additional fees. 

For the first time ever—and just in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics—Phoenix and Paris will soon be connected by a nonstop flight.

Last week Lufthansa made history. Weeks ahead of its major European rivals, the airline resumed scheduled services to Israel. As of last Monday, the German carrier is offering four weekly flights between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv and three from Munich. The routes mark the first time the company has operated to the country since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in early October.

France is bracing for airport chaos on Monday as air traffic controllers go on strike.

As part of the expanded partnership announced in September 2023, Air France-KLM and Etihad Airways customers now have access to more than 60 new routes beyond Abu Dhabi, Paris and Amsterdam.

There are the typical Black Friday travel deals and discounts and then there is a showstopping new offer from Air Tahiti Nui, the flagship carrier of French Polynesia. In honor of 25 years of service, Air Tahiti Nu has developed a new multi-flight pass, for $1,525, which includes round-trip tickets to four international destinations to be used over the course of a year.

Earlier this year, Air France announced some exciting upgrades to its business-class seats for its long-haul flights. The French airline’s previous (and, on some routes, current) business-class offering already used a pod-like, lie-flat seat and continues to do so in this latest upgrade. However, new seats now include a retractable door between each pod and the aisle for additional privacy, a do not disturb button, and Bluetooth connectivity to the personal entertainment screen. Bulkhead seats also swap the footwell for an ottoman, where a passenger can sit.

JetBlue is on a Europe growing spree with the most recent additions to the airline’s transatlantic lineup being Dublin and Edinburgh. The airline announced Wednesday that it will be adding new seasonal service to the Ireland and Scotland hubs starting in spring 2024.