Travel in state California

It's official: Oakland, California's airport has changed its name.

Much of Challengers’ runtime not spent on a tennis court goes down in a suite and lobby bar at an unnamed luxury New Rochelle hotel. (The film was shot in Boston.) While the techno-pulsing tennis piece of erotica never establishes whether or not these lodgings have a place to play on the premises, there are allusions to sports power couple Tashi and Art Donaldson’s (Zendaya and Mike Faist, respectively) preferred vacation destinations when off the clock. Considering the former’s clinging obsession with the game, and use of the latter as her proxy (she cannot play following an injury), it would be difficult to imagine tennis isn’t somehow involved.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tony Fernandes, a 60-year-old founder and CEO of UEGroup based in San Francisco, about his experience working remotely on a cruise ship. It's been edited for length and clarity.

The countdown is on for an important change with airport security.  In less than a year, travelers will no longer be able to use a standard driver's license when going through airport security, and will be required to use a license with the Real ID accreditation. Real ID is an added identity check that is applied on a standard driver’s license.  Travelers will need the updated identification by May 7, 2025, or otherwise use a passport to get through security.

Guest rooms and suites at one of the most anticipated hotels in the U.S. are now available for bookings starting later this year.

Even though Halloween is months away, this is the time of year when theme parks release information on their fall spooky season offerings — and even put tickets on sale. It may seem early, but we can assure you it is not. Popular dates sell out quickly, so you need to plan ahead if you don't want to miss out.

Disneyland Resort is celebrating summer and announcing a new, limited-time ticket offer and new hotel offers, giving guests flexible options and a great way to save to enjoy three days of magic at The Happiest Place on Earth. With thrilling adventures, popular attractions, beloved Disney characters and refreshing summertime treats, there’s something for everyone at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

Los Angeles, California — The United States has “serious problems” when it comes to international inbound travel that must be resolved if the country is to regain its competitive edge.That’s the assessment of the U.S. Travel Association and its leader Geoff Freeman, the organization’s president and CEO.Freeman delivered his sober take on the problems plaguing inbound travel to the United States during a press conference today in Los Angeles, California where a travel industry convention is taking place.“The United States remains the world’s most desired nation to visit, but at the end of 2019 we had 79 million visitors internationally and in 2023 we had 67 million international visitors," Freeman told the media gathered for the IPW 2024 convention. “That’s only 84 percent of pre-pandemic levels.”“When you look at travel as an export - before the pandemic we had a 12 billion [person] travel trade surplus. At end of last year we had about a 50 billion [person] travel trade deficit,” Freeman added.There's a handful of challenges that the United States currently faces when it comes to attracting international visitors and significantly ramping up inbound numbers, said Freeman. And some of those challenges are within the country’s ability to fix, while others are not.There’s not much that can be done, for instance, about the strength of the U.S. dollar, which makes this country very expensive to visit from many other parts of the world. Similarly, there’s not much U.S. officials can do about the current prohibitions surrounding flights over Russian airspace, which pose a major obstacle for airlines coming to this country from China.However, visa wait times continue to be a significant roadblock for international visitors — and that’s an issue U.S. officials can — and should — be able to fix, Freeman said.“On the visa side, I checked this morning — if you're a Columbian and want to come to the U.S. the wait times are over 600 days to get an interview at a U.S. consulate,” said Freeman. “If you’re in Mexico, the wait times are over 800 days.”By contrast, for visitors from India the wait timeline for visa interviews has recently been reduced to a somewhat more reasonable 150 to 200 days. Similarly, wait times for those visiting from Brazil have been reduced drastically — from what was once 500 days down to just 21 days, according to the U.S. Travel Association.“It shows us that it can be done. When the State Department uses their ingenuity and gets creative and puts resources in the right places, this problem can be solved,” explained Freeman. “But it’s been going on for far too long. It needs to be solved now.”

Governor Gavin Newsom and Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta just broke the news that California still retains the largest market share of tourism in the entire United States. According to new data released today, travel spending in the Golden State reached a record high of $150.4 billion in 2023, outstripping the previous record amount of $144.9 billion seen in 2019.

Settling yourself for a week or a weekend on a car-free island can come with unexpected benefits: the joy of getting around via bicycle, the conversations that happen while walking from one place to another, the hilarity of golfcart transportation.  But while we all love a good road trip, sometimes the car is just a means to getting from point a to point b. On these islands, even the getting around is part of the fun. Not to mention its stress-free and incredibly freeing for everyone coming along on the trip. 

Rife with pristine beaches and sprawling sand dunes, Nantucket has served as one of the Bay State’s foremost tourist destinations for well over a century—and to sweeten the deal, this scenic island also comes complete with a thriving food scene for visitors to enjoy. Seafood reigns supreme around the island, with no shortage of classic Massachusetts dishes up for grabs spanning from lobster rolls to New England clam chowder, while high-end wines can be encountered all throughout the island’s many restaurants. Yet for those who want to experience the region’s prowess at both drinking and dining in one fell swoop, there’s no better event than the annual Nantucket Wine & Food Festival.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, May 7. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

In her Michelin three star restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, Dominique Crenn creates dishes that have been described as gastronomic poetry in their complex, ethereal visuals and flavor. As the culinary consultant for the film “The Menu,” her dishes served at a fictional temple of gastronomy, were unlike anything a diner had ever seen. In February, dishes created by the chef began rolling out in Air France’s premium cabins that, while not as wild as the film’s creations, are also creative, delicious and uniquely hers.

Many American tourism marketers are well-paid. Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta recently collected more than $1.5 million in compensation. Brand USA CEO Chris Thompson recently took home over $700,000.

The terms “toiletry bag” and “cosmetic case” are often used interchangeably although toiletry bags are usually larger and hold more than cosmetics.

Global Airlines completed its first transatlantic flight with an Airbus A380 on Wednesday.

Returning to the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California on Saturday, May 4th, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering celebrates its 14th year in a row. Designed for motorcycle enthusiasts, this family-friendly event is always much-anticipated in the automotive world and promises a packed schedule of showcases, activities, vendors and more.

Virgin Voyages' fourth ship, Brilliant Lady, will debut in New York City in September 2025, then sail varied itineraries from multiple U.S. homeports during its inaugural season.

Virgin Voyages is finally bringing its adults-only cruises to the New York and Los Angeles markets.

Europe is a cornucopia of travel wonders. But as trends change and consumer demand ebbs and flows, what's the current hot destination on the Continent?