Pandemic tips

When SuzAnn Brantner moved to Indiana from Los Angeles during the coronavirus pandemic, she had been a longtime Delta Air Lines frequent flier, achieving the highest loyalty status the airline offered: Diamond Medallion. The benefits included expedited security screenings, priority boarding and top preference for complimentary first-class upgrades.

China’s government opened its country’s doors a little wider this week by extending the period that tourists visiting the country can stay without a visa to up to ten days.

Spirit Airlines told travelers they can keep booking and flying with the carrier after filing for bankruptcy protection on Monday.

Spirit Airlines, whose approach to selling cheap tickets without amenities earned it fans and detractors, filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday after a string of setbacks, most recently a failure to renegotiate its looming debt.

Many Americans embraced "work from anywhere" policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, trading permanent residences for homes on wheels.

Earning elite status on airlines has become increasingly difficult in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as airlines have raised qualification thresholds and adjusted loyalty programs to prioritize revenue over miles flown.

Last Thanksgiving, Dennis Friedrichsen, a 43-year-old tech worker from Minnesota, found himself dining on the banks of the Nile, sharing a feast of kebabs and chickpea stew with 11 strangers from three continents. Then he spent Christmas in Tanzania. Like a growing number of travelers, Mr. Friedrichsen saw the holidays as the perfect time for a solo adventure.

On Thursday, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) announced that airlines will have to pay more to fly in and out of the airport — and airlines will likely pass the buck to passengers by making it more expensive to fly there.

It's official: Marriott is providing a "soft landing" to Marriott Bonvoy elite members who don't requalify in 2024.

European airlines have been cutting flights to China following the closure of Russian airspace.

Airline ticket giveaways, elaborate drone and pyrotechnic shows, and invitations to thousands of influencers to visit and “tell a good story.” These are among the wide-ranging ways Hong Kong has tried to revive its international tourism industry, a crucial economic driver battered by years of pandemic restrictions and political upheaval.

The years-long bureaucratic tangles that plagued passport renewals and first-time applications since the pandemic are finally over. Not only have US passport processing times bounced back to pre-pandemic rates—they're the shortest they've been in years.

Unite Here, a national hospitality labor group with members currently on strike across several U.S. cities, is calling on state attorneys general to investigate hotel loyalty programs for what the labor group says are deceptive practices and devalued awards.

Dallas-Fort Worth travelers who want to take high tea overlooking Victoria Harbour at the Peninsula Hong Kong or chow down on dim sum have a new way to get to the bustling Asian metropolis next spring.

American Airlines is going back to basics in Austin after experimenting with dozens of new nonstop flights during the pandemic. The carrier will no longer be an option for Austinites eager to visit Bourbon Street in New Orleans after October or soak up the history of Boston’s Freedom Walk after November. Nonstop flights to both cities are among the seven that will end in the next few months. Also gone are American’s nonstops from Austin to Las Vegas and Orlando in October; Nashville and Raleigh-Durham in November; and Orange County, Calif., in January 2025, Cirium Diio schedule data shows. The reductions bring to an end a pandemic experiment for American that peaked at nonstop flights from Austin to more than 45 cities in early 2023. The cuts are part of a “continuous evaluation” of American’s network, an airline spokesperson told Travel + Leisure on Monday. “American will continue to offer customers access to our comprehensive global network of more than 350 destinations with one-stop connections,” the spokesperson added. Other factors include the rapid airline industry growth in Austin during the pandemic and the now slowing travel recovery.

Everything was on track when it came to Jón Óskar Árnason's culinary career — until it wasn't.

Few industries were disrupted as drastically by the Covid pandemic as the hospitality sector. Now, as travel has bounced back to prepandemic highs and Covid precautions have fallen by the wayside, thousands of hotel workers say they are still suffering from the lower wages and higher workloads that the pandemic period ushered in.

Revenge travel after the darkest days of the pandemic contributed to travel roaring back across the globe, with airlines, hotels and cruises reporting double-digit growth and travelers using their savings, taking on debt or even selling their homes to splurge on bucket list adventures or multiple trips.

Quebec City was designed to be imposing. On a steep hill above the St. Lawrence Seaway, behind 17th-century ramparts, the city’s streets are narrow and cobbled — no place for a road-hogging, 21st-century recreational vehicle.

Lodging brands like Hilton and Airbnb aren't exactly hurting for cash these days, but there are signs it's about to be lights out on the post-coronavirus pandemic boom of sky-high rates and an unlimited pool of people willing to pay.

The end is near for the smallest aircraft in JetBlue's fleet — one that's certainly seen better days.