The 5 best places to see Japan’s cherry blossoms

Last year, TPG conducted a taste test of the free snacks on board the major U.S. airlines, and TPG staffers and social media followers weighed in.

Travel has become our fountain of youth. Recent research shows that more than half of American travelers are prioritizing vacations designed to enhance their lifespan and well-being. Longevity, the concept of living a longer and healthier life, continues to be the hottest buzzword in the trillion dollar wellness tourism space. But amidst a global epidemic of loneliness, fewer people want to be cocooned in a clinic undergoing DNA testing and stem cell treatments. More and more, travelers are craving community and connection and some of the new longevity-focused programs are centered around communal activities like hiking and vision boarding. A more holistic approach to wellness means we’re finally paying attention to our brains, with retreats offering everything from neurofitness training to psychedelic-assisted feedback. And women finally have a plethora of programming tailored specifically to their health needs, from menopause to fertility. Taking a vacation is now the antidote for nearly every ailment, from insomnia to technology addiction. It won’t be long before doctors are prescribing holidays. Here are the wellness travel trends and destinations, resorts, and retreats that promise to revitalize your health in 2025.

On the top floor of the restaurant Genevose, a man named Fabio, who had recently won the Genoa Pesto World Championship, was gently showing me how to grind basil leaves with a mortar and pestle. “Pesto is a balancing act,” he explained to me in Italian. The leaves must be smashed and not chopped for fear the blade of a knife will over-oxidize them. Salt must be added sparingly because of how much is already in the pecorino and the parmesan cheeses. These may sound like obvious points to any semi-experienced chef, but they were relayed to me with the utmost seriousness—and the final result did not disappoint. After all, we were in Genoa, the birthplace of pesto. Minutes later, our pesto (really, Fabio’s pesto) had been tossed with freshly made pasta, and we sat down to eat our lunch. Nutty, salty, and just a little sweet, the pesto was simple—and utterly perfect.

Dec 17, 2024 • 17 min read

The best trips that Condé Nast Traveler editors took this year remind us that the classics are classics for a good reason. Many of us have had the privilege of traveling to some of the most far-flung corners of the earth, but few things can top the simple joys of either traveling with family, returning to beloved cities, and rediscovering our own backyards.

It's been a banner year for air travel, with the busiest-ever Thanksgiving in the United States and an upcoming holiday travel season that's expected to shatter records globally.

"Will it or won't it reopen?" hotel cynics have been wondering about Waldorf Astoria New York for years. (Not me, of course. I'm an eternal optimist who always thought it was coming back. Cough.) But now, the Waldorf Astoria New York finally has a clear path to reopening day.

Fresh off a $1.9 merger with Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines has big plans for using its new widebody planes with new routes to Asia.

Traveling around Japan by rail requires you to be strategic about the hotels. The right hotels need to be close to the areas you want to visit — and, crucially, even closer to the nearest train station.

Seattleites will have two new options to Asia on their hometown airline next year when Alaska Airlines launches new nonstops to Tokyo and Seoul.

Japan Airlines is offering to deliver luggage to your hotel or accommodation when you visit Tokyo.

More than two-thirds of travelers are already on the hunt for international travel deals for 2025 according to Kayak. The best part? The travel company reports that there are more flights on sale to far-flung destinations than ever before.