Articles

Money and Fees

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Traveling to the Caribbean? Don’t Get Scammed Into Paying for This Free Entry Form

It’s not just the sandy jet blasts from ultra low-flying planes above Maho Beach that visitors to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten should keep an eye out for.  The government of the…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Credit Card Travel Insurance: Pros and Cons

A growing number of credit cards are offering travel insurance as a free perk. It’s important to remember, however, that not all insurance policies are created equal. Does the…

Article / Money and Fees

The Tourist Tax Is Becoming the Norm in Japan (and Other Places)

Bimyō (微妙) is an essential concept in Japanese culture. An embrace of ambiguity, of subtlety, of nuance, the word explains everyday conversations where nobody says exactly what they…

Article / News

Meet Pauline Frommer in Denver, Colorado at the Travel & Adventure Show Apr. 11 & 12: Free Ticket Code

So much of our lives are now spent online. But it's the in-person connections that give our lives texture and meaning. That’s the reason we still travel, right? We could just as easily…

Article / Air Travel

When Should You Book Plane Tickets in 2026? The Iran War Is Changing Those Calculations

Timing matters when it comes to airfare.We discussed that just a little over a week ago in an article about how buying trends from 2021 through 2025 could serve as a road map for…

Article / Money and Fees

One of Europe's Most Famous Churches Plans to Charge for Entry. Critics Say That's a Sin

Is it wrong—or at least morally murky—to impose entrance fees for accessing certain spaces?That's a question being debated in Germany following a recent announcement that Cologne…

Article / Trends & Hacks

Travel Shows Can Be Overwhelming. Follow These Tips to Maximize Your Time and Get the Best Deals

It was a freezing day in January, yet the cavernous Javits Center in New York City was packed with 600 travel booths and an estimated 20,000 attendees of the New York Travel &…

Article / Timing Your Trip

How Far in Advance Should You Book Flights? Two Major Studies Have Answers

Knowing whom to trust is important in travel (and, for that matter, in life). Up until 2 years ago, I put my trust in the airfare studies done by the Airlines Reporting Corporation…

Article / Money and Fees

How to Save Money on a Japanese Vacation: Tips from the Author of 'Frommer's Japan'

The interview that follows is the second part of a conversation between Pauline Frommer and Frommer's Japan author David McElhinney, a recent guest on the Frommer's Travel Show…

Article / Air Travel

How Private Jets Are Making Flying Costlier and More Delay-Ridden For the Rest of Us

Picture this. You're on a Boeing 737 or an Airbus A321 at New York's LaGuardia Airport at 4 pm on a rainy afternoon. Your flight was scheduled to depart at 2 pm but due to weather,…

Article / Air Travel

Free 'Two-for-One' Iceland Stopovers Save Money on Europe Airfare—Did You Know?

Every time the economy starts to contract and money gets tighter, people turn to Frommer's. We've had a reputation for solid advice for inexpensive travel ever since we started…

Article / Food and Drink

The Minneapolis ICE Surge Has Hurt the City's Travel-Worthy Restaurants. Here's How You Can Help

As anyone who has visited Minneapolis will tell you, the city’s restaurant scene is remarkably vibrant, varied, creative, and absolutely worth traveling for. There are innovative…

Article / News

U.S. Nonprofit Libraries Forced to End Passport Services. Can They Get an Extension?

Nonprofit public libraries have to stop offering U.S. passport services on Friday, Feb. 13.That decision was recently handed down by the Department of State, which has opted all of a…

Article / News

If the SAVE Act Passes, Americans May Not Get Their Passports On Time in 2026

If you don't pay a lot of attention to the news right now, you've forgiven. The headlines aren't doing most of us any favors.But there's one development that could have a massive…

Article / Family & Kids

What's the Least You Can Spend to Visit Walt Disney World?

Last year, the New York Times published a feature providing numbers to support the grim truth many families already knew: Disney theme parks now cater to the rich.The Times followed…

Article / Money and Fees

Weather Insurance Guarantees Sunny Days or Your Money Back—but Is It Worth the Cost?

In a recent survey of 1,500 American travelers that was conducted by the travel insurance company Redpoint, more than half of respondents said they have had a trip delayed by weather,…

Article / Air Travel

Transatlantic Air Bookings Are Way, Way Down This Summer. Gee, Wonder Why

Cirium, an airline analytics watcher, has been keeping track of summer airline bookings between Europe and the United States, and the company reports that passenger numbers are…

Article / Air Travel

"The TSA’s New $45 Fee to Fly Without ID is Illegal," Says Regulatory Expert

On Sunday, February 1, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began charging travelers without REAL ID $45 to fly.This may come as a surprise, but no U.S. law requires you to…

Article / Beach & Water Sports

How to Plan an Affordable Beach Vacation in 2026: Where to Go and Strategies for Saving

Pauline Frommer appeared on Live with Kelly & Mark to discuss this topic. To see the clip, please click here.Planning an affordable beach vacation isn’t—please excuse the cliché—a…

Article / Money and Fees

Revolut and Wise: Which Digital Money Service Makes for the Best Flexible Travel Tool?

What are Wise and Revolut?Wise (wise.com) and Revolut (revolut.com) are United Kingdom-based EMIs (Electronic Money Institutions) that travelers are using for their currency…

Article / Hotels

How to Complain to Marriott or its Brands: Official Phone Numbers and More

Need to send some choice words to Marriott about its policies or about a recent experience with one of the hospitality giant's hotels or resorts?Below, we've gathered customer service…

Article / Hotels

How to Complain to Hilton: Official Phone Numbers and More

Need to provide some feedback to Hilton about a recent stay at one of the hospitality behemoth's hotels or resorts?Below, we've gathered customer service phone numbers, online support…

Article / Money and Fees

NYC Mayor Bans Hotel Junk Fees, or So Headlines Say. Here's What's Really Going On

The American media has never demonstrated much of an ability to confront junk fees in the travel industry with much strength or clarity. Take the New York Daily News headline from…

Article / Cruise

How to Save Hundreds on Royal Caribbean's Packages and Excursions

In the 1970s and '80s, cruises became a booming vacation option by offering a more-or-less all-inclusive pricing structure. One fare covers room, board, and access to a roster of…

Article / Cruise

The True Cost of a “Cheap” Cruise: What Each Major Cruise Line Actually Includes

The cruise deal looks unbeatable: seven nights for $499. Accommodations, meals, entertainment—all set, right? For most travelers, though, that bargain fare is only the opening bid. By…