Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Discounts for Disney Due to Softer Bookings: See the Current Sales

Everyone knows a Disney parks vacation costs a lot. Disney was once a byword for whimsy and quality, but it seems like in our era, "expensive" has replaced "magic" as the single…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Online U.S. Passport Renewal is Now Fully Available! Here's All You'll Need

After a two-year period of beta testing, digital passport renewal is now a full reality for American travelers. Here's how it works and how long it takes.

Article / Passportable

These Travel Apps Gobble Up the Most of Your Phone's Mobile Data

Depending on your smartphone's service plan, the expense of data while you're roaming abroad can be one of the ugliest surprises in a travel budget. Forgetting to use the correct…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

When to Start a Renewal of a U.S. Passport

Mail-in processing of passport renewal takes as long as three months, so it's crucial to know how soon you can apply to renew. The good news: A new digital renewal process is on…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Will Southwest Keep Checked Luggage Free? We Finally Have an Answer

Every budget-minded air passenger in the United States already knows that longtime no-frills kingpin Southwest Airlines is in bad trouble. The list of woes is daunting: Repeated…

Article / Air Travel

Oakland Airport's Name Change is Causing "Traveler Confusion" in San Francisco

The city of San Francisco says a recent name change at Oakland's OAK is unlawful, disorienting, and is tricking passengers into going to the wrong airport

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Oakland Airport's Name Change is Causing "Traveler Confusion" in San Francisco

If you wanted to fly to the San Francisco area's Oakland airport, which airport code would you use during booking?If you said SFO, short for San Francisco Oakland, you'd be flying to…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Unplugged! Royal Caribbean Bans a Popular Item That Many Cruisers Pack

Royal Caribbean has revised its list of forbidden items to ban a useful travel tool that many cruisers pack as an essential item. Even though the change "was not communicated to…

Article / Cruise

The First-Time Cruiser's Packing List: 20 Things Your Cabin Won't Have

What do you need to bring on a cruise? The items on this checklist—unless you want to buy them at inflated prices later.

Article / Slideshows

15+ Amazing Travel Tricks Your iPhone Can Already Do for Free: Flight Status, Translation, Conversion, Measuring Bags, More

If you have been traveling with an iPhone for a while, you might assume you already know all the things it can do for you. But for the past few years, Apple has been quietly adding new…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

What Hotel Workers Wish You Knew About Being a Good Guest in These Times

Everyone who has stayed at a hotel since Covid-19 knows that something is off. You're not losing your mind. Room rates have gone way up. Business is way up, yet housekeeping services…

Article / Passportable

When Is United Airlines Getting Free Wi-Fi?

It's pretty shocking that even though the internet has been an essential part of our lives for nearly 30 years, the number of U.S. airlines that supply free Wi-Fi to all passengers…

Article / Slideshows

Cheap Last-Minute Flights: How to Find Them (And There Aren't Many)

Gather round, children, and I will tell you the tale of what last-minute travel was once like, when finding cheap airfare meant simply showing up at the airport with a suitcase and a…

Article / Passportable

Southwest Airlines Opens 2-for-1 Companion Pass Deal to Everyone for a Hot Minute

This'll have to be quick—because Southwest's promotion will be, too.Until Thursday, September 5, Southwest Airlines opening a window to register for its Companion Pass deal, which…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Florida Is Trying to Ram Development of State Parks, "Skirting the Legal Process"

Floridians are sounding a red alert after the state unexpectedly revealed its intent to allow rapid development at nine of Florida's nature reserves, sidestepping the usual process…

Article / Slideshows

25 Incredible Free Museums in London

London can be an expensive vacation. Thanks to landing fees, flying there hits hard, and once you arrive, high average nightly hotel rates do even more financial damage. But there is a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Say Goodbye to Passport Stamps in Europe: New Entry/Exit System Starts in November

The European Union Commission has officially announced the start date of its incoming Entry/Exit System (EES) for arriving tourists, which will change the way international passports…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Say Goodbye to Passport Stamps in Europe: New Entry/Exit System Starts Soon

Europe's new automated entry system, EES, comes online soon, ending the age-old tradition of collecting passport stamps at major border crossings.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Mpox Is Now a Global Health Emergency. Should Travelers Worry?

On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally declared mpox, previously known as monkeypox, a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). PHEIC declarations…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Multi-Trip Travel Insurance: One Policy That Covers Every Trip for a Year

You don't have to buy travel insurance each time you go somewhere. You can buy it annually. Here's what multi-trip insurance is, how it works, and how to tell if it's the economical…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Disney Is About to Gut Magic Kingdom, Fans Are Furious, and You Don't Have Much Time

We've had plenty of warning signs that the current management of the Disney brand doesn't understand or appreciate their roles as stewards of priceless Americana. For the last few…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

U.S. Forbids Airlines from Charging Families to Sit Together

There's been another big win for consumers at the U.S. airports. On Thursday, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it has proposed a rule that forbids commercial…

Article / Arts and Culture

Where to See Nitrate Film Screenings: Rare Movie Cinemas Worth Traveling For

Nearly every movie released before 1952 was shown on nitrate film, famous for its clarity, richness—and tendency to explode. Film buffs travel long distances to find theaters…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Southwest Airlines to End Open Seating, So Why Fly It At All? There's Still One Reason

Social media is so infected with liars and bad actors that we can't trust it even to tell us the sky is blue anymore. But the minute Southwest Airlines announced that, after some 50…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

DOT Secretary Forcefully Reminds U.S. Airline Passengers of Their New Refund Rights

Some airlines are still struggling to reboot their service in the wake of last weekend's cataclysmic CloudStrike software shutdown. On Monday, Delta Air Lines was still limping its way…