Packing tips

Ask anyone in the office, I wear these shoes at least four times a week. They are incredibly comfortable, stylish, trans-seasonal, and go with almost any outfit. What more could you want in a travel shoe?

A world where everyone could sleep on command—or, simply one with more comfortable airplane seats—would be a beautiful one. But until that fantasy becomes reality, some of us will have to rely on sleep aids and accessories to help us catch some Zs.

Been on a full flight lately? Then you may have heard an announcement or seen an appeal posted on the monitor at the gate asking for passenger volunteers to check their bags at the gate for free.

Update, September 18: The FAA has issued updated guidance regarding usage of Samsung Galaxy 7 phones in flight, stating “passengers may not turn on or charge the devices when they carry them on board a plane. Passengers must also protect the devices from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and must not pack them in checked luggage.” The statement does not mention if any penalties are associated with failure to comply with this guidance. Read the full statement here.

Meet Bobby, the latest innovative design in anti-theft luggage. This backpack comes with tons of safety features and cool gadgets that make it perfect for students, frequent flyers, bike commuters, and business travelers alike.

Travelers aren’t the only ones longing for the days of delayed baggage to come to an end.

With multiple airlines (at the time of writing Delta, Alaska, and American) instituting a “smart luggage ban,” travelers have a right to be concerned if they travel with that pricey smart bag they bought. The part of the product in question is the suitcase’s battery, which with new regulations, must be removed in order to bring the bag onboard.

Spirit Airlines waived fees.

While flying cars and hover boards that actually hover are in travel’s distant future, there are a few technologically advanced travel products that make their traditional counterparts seem like vintage relics from a bygone era—and not in a good way. The Internet of Things, the revolution that’s connecting our devices and streamlining how we move through life, is leaving its mark on the travel industry, too. These 11 items that are available now make it seem like the future has already arrived. We can only wonder what’s next.

Zika virus, the mosquito-related disease that’s prompted travel advisories across the Caribbean as well as Central and South America, is now in Southeast Asia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

It’s not just hoverboards we have to worry about any more. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just released an alarming warning to airlines in the U.S. and abroad, strongly urging them to perform safety risk assessments regarding allowing lithium batteries to be transported as cargo.

I don’t know how I’ve traveled and worked out without this water bottle—it’s genius! If you like to use a foam roller for stretching, you should be traveling with this water bottle. It’s compact in size so it packs easily, and it functions as a foam roller for stretches post-workout or after a long flight.

UPDATE – Spirit apparently had second thoughts about the new size restrictions, and has elected to forego the changes reported in our article. According to a Spirit representative: “We had been preparing for a potential change in personal item sizes, however we decided a few weeks ago not to implement the change. While we always like to encourage passengers to carry less, we will continue to offer the largest personal size item of any ultra-low cost carrier.”

Emirates has announced it will reduce service between Dubai and almost half its destinations in the U.S. Flights to Boston, Seattle, and Los Angeles will be reduced from two per day to one, and daily flights to Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale will be reduced to five per week each. The total number of weekly flights cut comes to 25.

The TSA is usually a traveler’s worst nightmare, but thanks to the @AskTSA Twitter account, the TSA it turns out can actually be funny. The customer-service Twitter account answers travelers most absurd questions (no, you cannot travel with liquid mercury) about what they can and cannot carry onto a plane. And while this article is all in good fun, some questions and responses are actually useful, especially when it comes to holiday travel—it prefers if you don’t wrap your gifts, by the way—and traveling with food, liquids, and electronics.

Florence is one of Italy and Europe’s most idyllic cities, but it’s not without its perils. Before heading here for the first time, make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen, a pair of comfortable shoes, and more than one map of the city. Luggage Bring a ba

If you’re like me, and have trouble getting comfortable or sleeping on planes, this four-in-one travel pillow helps tremendously. Depending on what you need, it can be a pillow, blanket, seat cushion, or lumbar support.

After more than one hundred incidents of the now-discontinued Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploding, popping, and generally being a fire hazard, the Department of Transportation has officially banned them from all flights.

In a blow to smartphone giant Samsung, and a scare for a plane full of passengers, Southwest flight 994 last night was evacuated when a Galaxy Note 7 overheated and began smoking. According to USA Today’s report, the phone in question was a replacement for the owner’s original phone, which was among 1 million Note 7s recalled and replaced because of overheating batteries. The replacement phone was supposed to be the fix. Apparently it wasn’t.

Remember those exploding hoverboards, the once-popular self-balancing scooters that most airlines banned late last year due to their proven combustibility?

I’ve already told you about Amazon Prime membership’s unknown perks, but I’m especially excited about its latest membership benefit: Prime Samples and Amazon Sample Boxes. I first noticed these on the site yesterday and as a self-proclaimed “subscription box guru,” I was excited to see that Amazon launched its own version of this type of service.