High-speed rail in the United States may soon be a reality. The White House recently announced the allocation of $8.2 billion in funding for several key rail projects including a Las Vegas to Los Angeles corridor; a Raleigh, North Carolina to Richmond, Virginia, route; new service throughout California’s central valley; and more. The investment is a component of President Joe Biden’s “Investing in America” Agenda. While high-speed rail has been a popular wish among travelers for many years, the allocation of funding helps put the project in motion, with one administration official sharing with Travel + Leisure that the Las Vegas to Los Angeles route could be completed in advance of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “If you’ve ever seen the standard of passenger rail service in Japan, Germany, Spain, or Italy, and come home and wondered, 'Why can’t we have these nice things?’ This is the beginning of the answer to that. Help is on the way,” Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, told T+L during a press briefing on the announcement. Buttigieg said that the lack of investment in new rail services over the last several decades is a trend that is now being reversed and that while change won’t happen overnight, travelers will see improvements within a few years. Over 35 rail projects were named as part of the funding announcement, including:
Gas prices plunge just in time for record-breaking Thanksgiving crowds
22.11.2023 - 18:13 / thepointsguy.com
Gas prices are plunging as record crowds hit the skies and the roads for Thanksgiving. According to AAA, the national average for the price of a gallon of gas is now down to $3.28. The price in August hit $3.87 a gallon.
"The most common price for an American consumer is at $2.90," Amos Hochstein, the senior advisor to the president for energy, said. Hochstein spoke to TPG on inflation and the impact of falling gas prices on travel this week.
He told me the President and his administration are "glad to see that ahead of the holiday season, gas prices are significantly lower." He pointed out gas prices are the lowest they've been since Thanksgiving of 2020, "That's the trend we were hoping for."
The Biden administration thinks that's part of what is driving a record number of Americans to hit the road for Thanksgiving. In fact, according to AAA, 49.1 million Americans will drive during Thanksgiving week.
"Some people will make their decision based on the price of travel," Hochstein said. "It's a little bit of an extra break for the American family. This may help them make the decision to travel, but this is going to give them a little extra savings."
He pointed out the falling gas prices had other benefits, too, including lowering the prices of consumer goods and shipping, "not just on pumping gas in cars."
It's not just roads that will be jammed.
The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 2.9 million people on Nov. 26 at U.S. airports. That would be the highest one-day total ever recorded. On Nov. 21, the TSA screened more than 2.6 million people — topping pre-pandemic 2019 numbers by more than 200,000 people.
So far, the massive delays and cancellations we saw during Christmas last year have not materialized despite a major storm moving through the busy Northeast. In fact, FlightAware suggests there are surprisingly few delays and cancellations, with just 40 flights into or out of the U.S. being canceled early Wednesday morning.
In an interview earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg told me things were much improved and that he was pretty confident that the airlines are in a better position heading into the holidays. He said the administration's action on passenger protection and flyer rights "has clearly made a big difference in what you can expect when you do experience a disruption."
Related: Airlines pushed again by DOT to be better on delays and cancellations
The White House said it's in constant contact with players that touch every aspect of fuel prices as well, "from oil producers to refiners to the airline CEOs." Hochstein said that he expects jet fuel prices to continue to fall and that he and the president want to ensure that those falling
‘Watershed Moment’ For U.S. Rail With $8 Billion For Passenger, Bullet Train Projects
President Joe Biden is a self-described train fan, commuting between Washington, D.C. and Delaware on Amtrak for decades as a Senator. Now to beef up U.S. passenger rail, his administration is doling out more than $8 billion, including funds for two high-speed trains in California and Nevada.
Biden Administration Unveils $8 Billion for New Train Projects
Las Vegas travelers are a $3 billion step closer to speeding through the Mojave Desert on a high-speed train linking Sin City with Southern California.
We’re Surrounded by Dinosaurs, at Least We Were for a Month or So
Just off of East Highway 246 in the town of Solvang, California, an eye-catching sign depicts an adult male ostrich, its black and white feathers spread like the fans of a performer in a Vegas show. Just beneath the display, in big block letters: “OSTRICHLAND USA,” and “FEED THIS BAD BOY!”
The Las Vegas Grand Prix Shuts Down Critics...Including Max Verstappen
The narrative in the month leading into the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix was mostly negative. If it wasn’t locals complaining about disruptions caused by the Herculean construction effort, it was “ordinary fans” bemoaning the highest ticket prices (by far) on the F1 calendar. And when these high-priced tickets and hotel packages didn’t sell out—many being discounted in the weeks leading up to the race—critics were all-too-eager to call it a bust before even seeing cars on track.
Score Flights Across the U.S. This Winter and in the Spring for as Little as $39 With This Sale
‘Tis the season for planning an epic winter getaway and Southwest is helping by offering one-way flights starting at just $39.
American Airlines delivers record-breaking Thanksgiving operation
To date, American has canceled fewer flights than any other Thanksgiving period in its history.
No Parking For You At New Venues Like The Sphere Or LA’s SoFi
Amphitheater and stadium designers wouldn’t build a venue without toilets. So why do they persist in building structures without parking?
Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Faces Wary Justice Department
Alaska Air Group CEO Ben Minicucci gave an eerily familiar line when asked about his view on U.S. government approval of the carrier’s proposed $1.9 billion merger with Hawaiian Airlines.
400,000 New Tickets Were Just Released for the 2024 Paris Olympics — What to Know
Hundreds of thousands of tickets were released on Thursday for the Paris Olympics with the 2024 summer games just months away.
U.S. Embassy Issues Record Visas, Wait-times for India Persist
Demand for U.S. visas from Indian travelers are at record highs. But 500-day wait times or longer continue to hinder travel to the U.S.
Delta Just Released a Ton of Flight Deals — With Many to Florida and Mexico
Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday may be over, but Delta Air Lines is still rolling out the deals for travelers eager to get away. The airline recently published a list of “Fly Into A Winter Wonderland” deals on their website, which offers discounts both in cash and using Delta SkyMiles redemptions for flights both within the United States and internationally. “Redefine the winter blues and take advantage of low seasonal fares to destinations from cozy cities to tropical escapes and alpine adventures,” Delta shares on their website about the sale. Travel + Leisure spotted deals from nearly every one of Delta’s hub cities in the United States. The current promotion offers deals between December 2023 and January 2024. The lowest miles fare was 14,000 miles and $12 for a round-trip flight from Seattle, WA, to San Francisco, CA. Some of the other top flight deals include: