The UEFA Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Germany has sparked a surge in sports tourism, particularly among Asian travelers, according to data from Trip.com Group.
30.05.2024 - 13:23 / thepointsguy.com
Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of the busy summer travel season — and it was one for the record books. May 24, the Friday before the long holiday weekend, was the busiest ever for the Transportation Security Administration, with the agency screening 2.9 million people. In fact, five of the 10 busiest days on record happened this month alone. According to the TSA, the agency screened nearly 8% more people over this year's holiday weekend versus 2023.
If Memorial Day weekend is any indication, it's going to be a record-breaking summer for both domestic and international travel. That's because the usually busy travel season will also include travel-worthy events like the Summer Olympics in Paris.
U.S. airlines predict 271 million will travel between June 1 and Aug. 31. That would easily surpass last summer's record of 255 million, according to Airlines for America. U.S. airlines plan to operate over 26,000 flights daily this summer, an increase of nearly 1,400 flights per day from the previous year (or 5.6% over last summer).
Airlines have added flights to accommodate the rush of demand.
"U.S. airlines are excited to fly a record number of travelers this summer," Rebecca Spicer, A4A's senior vice president of communications, said in a press release. "Our carriers have adjusted their schedules to adapt to current realities of our National Airspace System (NAS), helping to alleviate some of those pressure points and making for a smooth summer travel season."
Indeed, U.S. airlines performed remarkably well over the long Memorial Day weekend despite a series of thunderstorms that slammed parts of the country. Airlines appear to be recovering more quickly without the cataclysmic failures in the system we saw coming out of the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Still, it's better to be prepared for anything. Here are a few of my top tips to help you stay sane this summer.
As travel demand has increased, so, too, has the need for airport parking. We are increasingly seeing "sold out" signs at airport parking lots.
To ensure you aren't stuck searching for a spot that may or may not exist, lock in that reservation now. Most airport parking lots offer prepaid or reserved parking, making it easy to book in advance. You may even find the rates are cheaper when you book ahead of time.
Related: Don't forget to do this before heading to the airport this summer
It's going to be busy at the airport this summer, and you should plan accordingly. While we aren't seeing the staffing shortages of a few years ago, there are only so many baggage handlers, ticket counter employees and security screeners.
My mantra for this summer (and the one many of my TPG colleagues share) is that you're "better safe than
The UEFA Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Germany has sparked a surge in sports tourism, particularly among Asian travelers, according to data from Trip.com Group.
As one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, the question invariably arises: Do you tip in Paris? For many of us, tipping at restaurants and for various services is an ingrained habit, depending on our local customs. But as always, when traveling to different countries, we inevitably should learn and respect another set of rules—and that includes how much to tip. Fortunately, especially for travelers from the United States, tipping in Paris—and in Europe generally—is really quite simple: Tipping is not expected in French culture, at least not as much as it is in American culture.
Paris may be on your travel bucket list, but it's bound to be packed with tourists as the 2024 Summer Olympics unfold in the City of Lights in July.
Apple Maps is making it easier to get outside this summer with updates to help travelers navigate national parks and create custom walking and hiking routes.
JetBlue and British Airways have been approved to partner up on codeshare flights, making it easier for travelers to fly to dozens of destinations between the U.S. and Europe. “We are pleased with the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) approval for a bilateral codeshare agreement between JetBlue and British Airways,” an airline spokesperson for JetBlue shared with T+L on Tuesday. “We are always looking for new ways to offer our customers more choice when traveling. With the new codeshare, customers will be able to seamlessly book a single ticket for travel on both airlines, providing an expanded network of destinations across Europe and the U.S.”
A version of this article originally appeared in Glamour.
Dozens of British Airways passengers endured a nine-hour "flight to nowhere" after crossing the Atlantic twice.
Anyone who’s visited Paris in late July and August knows the word “fermé.” It adorns the darkened windows of chic indie boutiques and cozy bistros whose owners, along with other locals, have fled the city on their annual vacations.
A new tourist fee in Bali. Higher hotel taxes in Amsterdam and Paris. Stricter rules on public drinking in Milan and Majorca. Ahead of the summer travel season, leaders in many tourist spots have adopted measures to tame the tourist crowds — or at least earn more revenue from them.
Don't ask me where May went, I truly don't know. This month was a wild one for this hotel reporter. It started with my own wedding here in New York City, followed by a honeymoon in Paris, and the chance to catch the first night of the European leg of Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour." I then immediately joined a wonderful retreat with TPG's travel team in Washington, D.C.
We asked three of our correspondents in France for their favorite summer-vacation destinations that are off the typical international tourist trail. Their picks offer a varied cross-section of the country from tucked away calanques on the Côte d’Azur to a forested mountain trail to a cliff-top medieval castle.
The small Gulf nation of Qatar is relying heavily on events to keep its tourism sector going. During the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the country scrambled to open thousands of hotel rooms, which it now struggles to fill without similar mega-events.