Get into Switzerland’s open air

The tail end of the busy summer travel season is almost here, but that doesn’t mean an end to travel deals. In fact, it’s just the beginning for a slew of miles and points promotions. Here are some of the latest offers worth taking advantage of for travel this month or even the year ahead.

Any ideas for a snow-free Alps vacation? 

Backroads has long been a leader and an innovator in the world of adventure travel. They’ve also been at the forefront of change, keeping tabs on fluctuating demographics and traveler demands. Back in 2020, during the heart of the pandemic, they first offered softer adventure trips called Dolce Tempo, or “sweet time,” as in “take your sweet time.” These were walking, E-bike, and multi-adventure trips designed for first-time adventure travelers and those looking for an easier option than regular Backroads trips. Call them easygoing active vacations designed with more downtime built-in. They were active adventures but at a more relaxed pace. They were clearly on to something because all the trips quickly sold out. They continued to do so even as the offerings expanded to include Active Ocean & River Cruises.

Haven’t made your summer vacation plans yet? Still searching the web to find the best deals? Fear not, there is still time to plan an enjoyable summer vacation with friends and loved ones. These vacation destinations offer easy access from major cities along with a variety of activities suitable for the hot days of August. From surfing lessons on crystal clear waters to enjoying talented performers, these destinations are sure to please those procrastinators who wait until the last minute to plan their summer vacations.

International dialling code: +41 Currency: Swiss f

OAG, which dubs itself an “air travel intelligence company,” has released its top-10 rankings of the most and least punctual airlines in 2016. The group analyzed 54 million flight records using full-year data from 2016 to compile the list, and for the purposes of the study defined “on-time” as “a flight that arrives or departs within 14 minutes and 59 seconds (under 15 minutes) of its scheduled arrival/departure time.”

Conde Nast Traveler gets a lot of mileage out of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards, slicing and dicing feedback from 300,000 travelers into a dizzying array of categories, sub-categories, and sub-sub-categories. Not only is there a ranking of the best cities in the world, there’s also the best small cities in the U.S. The world’s best hotels, sure. But also the top 10 hotels in Europe, and in Northern Asia, and in Eastern Mexico, and in Florence.

Editor’s Note: For the latest version of this story, see The World’s Most and Least Expensive Cities, Ranked.

It’s travel strike season in France once again. Travelers visiting or traveling through France over the next several weeks should prepare for the possibility of significant air and rail travel disruptions due to a series of planned travel strikes that have cut 30 percent of flights at major airports, and could cancel train departures for months.

IdeaWorks is out with its annual reward seat availability survey, which ranks airlines’ reward programs based on how easy it is to redeem frequent flyer points or miles for reward travel. As any frequent flyer knows (and as common sense dictates), this metric is essential to determining the value of an airline reward program. It’s sort of the whole point, right?

Summer camp is expensive, and even if you're willing to pay for it, your kid might not get a spot.

Sweeping investments in alternative-fuel technology; slashing plastic waste; making crew uniforms from recycled marine detritus: These are just a few of the steps airlines have taken in recent years to help minimize their environmental footprint in the face of a worsening climate crisis. But so-called “green airfares”—a dedicated fare class aimed at reducing carbon impacts—are the latest attempt at greening the industry.