Latest Travel News tips

The traditional taxi business is far from dead, but the ever-burgeoning popularity of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft is a clear threat to the survival of the yellow cabs that for decades have been a mainstay of big-city transportation. It’s fair to say that the rise of Uber and its ilk have led to the erosion of taxis, and could eventually lead to their outright demise (or, perhaps, their radical transformation).

The Transportation Security Administration today announced the addition of five new airlines to its TSA PreCheck trusted-traveler program. They are Air France, Brussels Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and World Atlantic.

You may not like whom you’re sharing your hotel with.

Enter the Cupcake Vineyards “Treat Today” sweepstakes by March 15, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a five-day trip for two to the 2016 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, including air, hotel, airport transfers, and event passes. Runner-up prizes include $100 and $50 gift cards.

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.

Who will be the next president of the United States, if the airlines had their way?

Researchers in Connecticut are warning that tick populations are on the rise this year, so you need to be especially vigilant—not just at home, but also while traveling. If your trips take you anywhere within North America, Europe, or Asia, you could be at risk for ticks and the many diseases they cause.

If this morning’s reports from the BBC and other sources have it right, the ban on in-cabin laptops will not be extended to include additional flights from Europe to the U.S.

If you’re selected for a TSA pat down at airport security the next time you fly, expect to face a more hands-on physical inspection than you’re used to. The TSA has implemented a new “Universal Pat Down” to replace the varying types of physical screenings it previously used. Some travelers are calling the new practice invasive.

Apparently, Icelandair neglected to patent its recently launched Stopover Buddy program.

“Travel is just a little bit different for us,” said Kelly Lewis, the founder of Women’s Travel Fest, at the beginning of last year’s festival, a blend of travel inspiration, safety advice, and even airfare tips geared specifically to women.

Enter the Jamba Juice “Pitaya Paradise” sweepstakes by February 29, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a five-night trip for two to the Aqua Wellness Resort in Nicaragua, including air, hotel, airport transfers, and daily breakfast.

Want to fly Virgin America as an elite member of the airline’s Elevate program? If you’ve already earned elite status with American, Delta, Southwest, or United, Virgin America will match that status, for three months.

Last week, Alaska Airlines made two significant announcements. First, the airline will be making changes to its upgrade policies and procedures. And second, it will be rolling out a premium economy product worthy of the “premium” designation.

In the latest no-confidence vote on the TSA’s ability to effectively manage security at the country’s airports, Delta today announced “up to $4 million” in additional staffing at 32 airports to augment TSA checkpoint personnel. The Delta workers will assist with non-security tasks, like managing lines and screening bins, freeing up TSA staff to open more lanes and process more passengers.

Travelers who grumble that the airlines have gone too far in shrinking the width and legroom of coach-class seats won’t be getting any relief from Congress any time soon.

The world’s best this, the world’s best that. Everyone has an opinion. But those opinions only accrue real value when they’re aggregated with those of other people, and preferably other people with first-hand experience of the matter being judged.

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

This coming August, all eyes will turn to the beaches and stadiums of Rio de Janeiro, where the 2016 Summer Olympics will be in full swing. The Games are expected to bring athletes and tourists from across the globe to Brazil, and now for Americans, a huge hurdle has been removed. In a move to stimulate the Brazilian economy, the Brazilian government announced that it will waive visa requirements for citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan.

The ban on electronic devices carried onboard flights to the U.S. and U.K. from select African and Middle Eastern countries has been anything but uncontroversial. While the response at the level of companies and organizations has been mostly muted, travelers on such sites as FlyerTalk and InsideFlyer have expressed considerable skepticism as to both the ban’s underlying motives and its efficacy.

On the heels of news that it will debut “bare fares” in early 2017, USA Today reports American will also add a seating class at the other end of the spectrum.