Summer Travel Forecast: Long Lines, Short Tempers

Whether you’re about to go on vacation or just coming back from a trip, summer is always a good time to treat yourself to a spa service. It’s when we show the most skin and typically socialize the most, so why not put your best foot forward when it comes to your appearance and wellness. Here are six summer travel-ready beauty treatments in New York City you’ll love.

Itching to squeeze in a last-summer getaway before Labor Day but worried about the cost? Good news: There are still plenty of affordable destinations with cheap flights and hotels, according to Priceline, which just released data showing the most significant summer 2023 travel trends until Labor Day.

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) have a novel proposal to alleviate the expected congestion at airport security checkpoints this summer. In a letter sent this week to executives at 12 U.S. airlines, the senators called on the carriers to “suspend bag fees for the summer”:

Following recent announcements from Delta and United that they would cut back on flights between the U.S. and U.K., American has hinted that it, too, is expecting diminished demand to Europe over the coming months.

Airlines for America, the trade group representing the interests of U.S. airlines, is predicting that 15.6 million travelers will fly during the Labor Day weekend (Wednesday, August 31 – Tuesday, September 6). That’s a 4 percent increase over last year’s 15 million Labor Day flyers.

If “summer travel” triggers images of beachside idylls and Disney theme-park thrills, you likely drive rather than fly to your summertime vacation spots. Because summer air travel is a very different picture, indeed.

I recently dubbed Alaska Airlines’ loyalty program, Mileage Plan, the “Best Mileage Program for Average Travelers.” It’s a hard-won honor, awarded for two principal reasons. First, Alaska has chosen to retain Mileage Plan’s distance-based earning scheme, even as most other airlines have adopted less generous spend-based earning. And second, Alaska has cobbled together a roster of earning and redemption partners that rivals those of the world’s largest airlines.

In the airline’s first major initiative since replacing CEO Jeff Smisek with Oscar Munoz, United today announced details of a major upgrade to its international business-class product.

Flying to the U.S. from abroad? Get ready for potentially longer check-in times and new security measures. Effective this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will increase scrutiny on electronic devices travelers bring onboard.

How much should you expect to spend to visit each of the largest 100 U.S. cities?

It was only a few weeks ago that the TSA claimed victory over the scourge of long lines at airport security, but now it seems those long lines could return. “Could,” however, is the operative word, and it all comes down to Congress.

With Delta and United’s transition to spend-based loyalty programs last year, and American’s upcoming later this year, there’s no longer room for debate as to the industry standard. Travelers should now expect to be rewarded according to their spend, not according to the number of miles they fly.