Family travel tips

Family travel continues to be the largest segment of U.S. leisure travel, with more families opting for vacations that create shared experiences and lasting memories. Skift Research delves into the trends driving this vital segment in our latest report:

Family travel is the largest segment of U.S. leisure travel, according to a new Skift Research report on U.S. travel trends. The report’s lead author, Senior Research Analyst Varsha Arora, discussed her findings with Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko in this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast.

While the Global Entry application fee has risen to $120 for adults, it has been eliminated for children under 18. Before October 1 of this year, the fee was $100 for anyone applying, regardless of age. So, while there has been a 20% increase for adults, anyone under 18 can apply for Global Entry for free—as long as their parent or guardian is also applying or is already a member. In the past, if your kids did not have Global Entry, they would have to go through the long customs line even if you had it. Now, it is much easier to get your kids Global Entry.

The coastal Thai city of Pattaya is embarking on an ambitious rebranding effort, aiming to distance itself from its associations with sex tourism and illegal gambling into a destination that appeals to families, while also positioning itself as Thailand’s first casino city.

Think vacation rentals are in for a big slowdown? Think again. Social media buzz of frustrated consumers sharing bad vacation-rental experiences paints a bleak picture. But Skift Research’s latest report, ‘Debunking the Myth of Vacation Rental Consumer Fatigue,’ reveals a more optimistic outlook.

Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings unveiled adjustments to the company’s strategy as part of its investor day for analysts.

United announced Thursday it will allow friends and family to create joint accounts to pool frequent flier miles through its loyalty program. 

Travel search comparison website WayAway is calling on the travel industry to embrace and place greater value on female audiences following a recent survey of 2,477 statistically relevant female travellers in the United States.

Even before Sri Lanka included India in the list of nations that will get free visas, it was among the most preferred destinations for Indian families, along with Sharjah in United Arab Emirates. A report from online travel agency Cleartrip chronicles what, how and which destinations were trending between July and September 2023. Domestically, Goa, Gurugram, and Chandigarh were the preferred non-metro destinations. 

United Airlines has unveiled Children’s Travel Kits in collaboration with Sesame Workshop.

United Airlines has launched a new seat map feature that dynamically finds available adjacent seats at the time of booking, while a new policy will allow passengers to switch flights for free if none are available.

Frontier Airlines is now automatically seating children with a family member or adult in their party for free.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday called on U.S. airlines to follow American Airlines in committing to eliminating family seating fees as part of their customer service plans.

American Airlines has ruled out delaying the removal of 40 percent of its airfares from traditional retail channels next month.

Club Med has had more re-inventions than Justin Timberlake. But the all-inclusive brand run by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International thinks it can finally bring the sexy — and profit — back to its 70 getaways that arc from Bali to China’s Hainan Island to the French Alps and Florida.

Dear Parents Getting on the Plane with a Baby,

Cruising is one of the best ways to take in multiple destinations on a single trip, not to mention some killer ocean views. For those reasons and more, we look forward to Cruise Critic’s annual Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards. Based on port ratings from avid cruisers and readers, Cruise Critic picks 15 destination winners each year.

This year our national neighbors to the north celebrate their 150th anniversary and we’ll be celebrating with them as they do. Each month we’ll focus on one part of their magnificent country and share it with you. From the sky-high trees and brown bears in British Columbia to the kitchen parties and codfish-kissing in the Maritimes, our toast to Canada will give you well over 150 reasons to make this the year you take the trip. This month we’re exploring ocean floors and maritime friendships in New Brunswick.

No one knows cruising better than frequent cruisers. That’s why we always look forward to Cruise Critic’s annual Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards, which are based on port ratings provided by reader reviews. This year, Cruise Critic divided destinations into 15 different categories and ranked the top places for cruisers to visit in each. Here are 10 key destinations from the list—head over to Cruise Critic’s Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards page for the full list!

We’re proud to announce the winners of the 2018 SmarterTravel Editors’ Choice Destination Awards. We’ve scoured the world to find the best places to go in 2018.

I have hazy memories of visiting Disney World as a kid. There’s an old picture of me grinning from ear to ear in front of the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, so I think it’s safe to say I probably enjoyed the experience. But going to Disney as an adult in charge of planning the trip—where to stay, how to navigate the park, how not to waste two hours waiting in line—is an entirely different experience. It feels like going for the first time all over again.