Testing tips

Depending on your perspective, American Airlines' latest move may be good or bad news.

There’s nothing worse than getting through the hustle and bustle of airport security only to finally make it to your gate and realize that your phone is out of battery. Searching for an outlet can be a pain and more often than not leaves you stuck hovering over one awaiting your turn. A portable charger offers peace of mind and freedom that airport outlets, hotel lobbies, and coffee shops just can’t supply. Even when you're not traveling, they're useful to have on hand for days when you forget to charge your phone at night or notice it’s running low midday after too much time on Google Maps (or TikTok).

NASA has delayed the launch schedule for its Artemis program, which will eventually land the first woman and person of color on the moon. The postponement was ordered after issues were uncovered following testing, according to NASA. Currently, the agency is “troubleshooting a battery issue and addressing challenges with a circuitry component responsible for air ventilation and temperature control.”

The next time you fly to the United Kingdom, you might be able to leave your passport safely tucked away in your bag. The nation’s airports will reportedly begin testing new facial recognition technology at “eGates” for arriving passengers, which would replace border control's standard physical passport check.

The crash between a Japan Airlines passenger jet and a Japanese coast guard plane in Tokyo this week is resurfacing questions about standards used to evaluate whether aircraft can be safely evacuated during emergencies.

“Have a safe flight” may be more of a customary farewell than a genuine concern for the safety of modern air travel, but we've all had those mid-air onsets of hyperawareness that flying in a metal tube through the sky at 500 miles per hour is certainly no small feat (some of us more than most). While there are many details to worry about when planning a trip, one thing no traveler wants to be concerned with is whether the plane they’re flying on is safe.

What are the safest airlines in the world for 2024? As travelers gear up for another year of adventure and business, this question is top of mind. AirlineRatings.com, an airline safety and product rating review site, has the answer in its new ranking of the 25 safest airlines in the world.

Front crash prevention systems aren’t as effective at detecting large trucks and motorcycles and preventing collisions with them as they are with cars. Current systems reduce rear-end crashes with medium or heavy trucks by 38 % and motorcycles by 41%, compared with a 53 % reduction with passenger vehicles, but if the technology improved and was more widely implemented, an additional 5,500 crashes a year with trucks and 500 crashes with motorcyclists could be prevented.

South Korea has this week announced its plans to unroll a new digital nomad visa starting on January 1, 2024. The visa will allow foreign residents to stay in the country for up to two years while working a remote job back home.

Beauty and skincare products like shampoo, moisturizer, and face wash are essential on every packing list, whether you're heading to a hotel or are staying with friends or family. Since buying miniature versions of your favorite products can be expensive—and typically means purchasing a whole lot of single-use plastics—having practical and reliable toiletry travel bottles you can pull out for every trip is a must.

The year was 1370, and even the shimmering canals of Venice brought no joy to Francesco Petrarch. Over the last two decades, the world-renowned scholar and poet had travelled the length and breadth of Italy. But with every passing year, he found himself retreating more from social life, seeking to escape the "ignorance" of his age.

Soon, whether you drink coffee, wine, water, ginger ale, or any other beverage on a Delta Air Lines flight, it’ll be served in a paper cup.

The Airbus A380 may be the largest commercial jet, but something far larger took to the skies in recent months.

Alone in London with a day to kill, Jon Martin was hungry for an off-the-cuff adventure when he decided to show up for a meal at a stranger’s home.

After months of planning and building, it was finally time to give my Transit Connect campervan its first big test. Sure, I’d recently done a test run to Pinnacles National Park, but that was only for two nights and I could have left at any time. Due to the obligations of a work project, this first big trip had no such fallback. I’d need to live and work out of the van in a different state for almost a week.

One of the most rewarding ways to plan a trip is by building it around a specific event connected to a deep interest or passion. Taking part in something meaningful on your travels creates a unique connection with a destination that can lead to memories that will last a lifetime. Whether it’s testing your athletic derring-do in an ultra-marathon in Peru or whipping out your spray cans at a graffiti festival in Bristol, we’ve rounded up some of the most exciting events for you to participate in for 2024.

New technology is here to help travelers get through the security process quickly. Starting as soon as January 2024, visitors to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, will have the chance to use the self-service screening option with more airports to come. Here’s who is eligible and what the process will look like.

Dad shoes may be the ultimate cool-girl travel shoe, but dad boots—you know, those serious and heavy-looking, bordering on workman, boots—are yet to have their moment. In fact, practical walking boots as a whole are in desperate need of a modern makeover—the closest cool options that come to mind are the chunky Ganni Chelsea boots. That is until I recently discovered and tested some boots by French brand Palladium. What caught my eye were the chunky rubber soles teamed with a slick sneaker-like silhouette; like a Converse high-top but much more sturdier. Plus there’s even a dedicated travel collection designed to be ultra-lightweight—ideal for those carry-on-only trips.

Self-service tech is evolving from fast-food restaurants and grocery checkouts: Starting in the New Year, select travelers will be able to screen themselves at airport security checkpoints. TSA is scheduled to launch a trial run of new “self-service” screening technology at the Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport in January, allowing fliers enrolled in TSA PreCheck to conduct their own body scans.

Surf’s up in the desert.

How would you feel about drinking your inflight soft drinks — or cocktails — out of a paper cup?