Articles

Money and Fees

Article / Air Travel

What Each of Southwest Airlines' New Fare Classes Buys You

Southwest Airlines has been going through some things—operational meltdowns, backtracking on customer perks, scorching mockery on Saturday Night Live—but it wants you to believe…

Article / Slideshows

MSC World America Ship Tour: What We Loved and What Was Meh

If you watched Super Bowl LIX or have been anywhere near a TV or computer screen since then, you’ve probably caught a glimpse of that ad in which actors Drew Barrymore and Orlando…

Article / Money and Fees

8 of the Cheapest Places to Travel in Europe Right Now

With the U.S. dollar dropping in value and another economic downturn looking more and more likely, budget-conscious American travelers might want to be especially choosy right now…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

"I Can't Afford a U.S. Passport. How Can I Get the Fee Waived?"

Methods for low-income citizens to pay for the application fee for an American passport

Article / Air Travel

Are We Supposed to Be Tipping Flight Attendants Now?

Given that we now live in a world where you might be asked by a payment screen how much you'd like to tip at a self-checkout kiosk, it should probably come as no surprise that the…

Article / Air Travel

Delta Tells Passengers to Arrive Earlier if They Have Bags

If you're flying Delta Air Lines in the domestic United States, make sure you bring a watch and a diversion. You'll now have to get to the airport even earlier to obtain the full…

Article / Money and Fees

New Crackdown Over Euro Notes in Europe Could Rip Off the Unaware Traveler

New rules will require tourists to inspect their cash carefully—or else lose money.

Article / Air Travel

Save Money on Checked Luggage! The Best Carry-On Bags That Fit Under an Airline Seat

When airlines began charging to check bags, they also ushered in the era of "gate lice." That's modern slang for people who jockey for early boarding to their flights in order to score…

Article / Family & Kids

Disney Slashes Prices for Kids and Brings Back Free Meals This Summer

Publicly, executives at the Walt Disney Company insist that the May opening of Universal's Epic Universe doesn't have them spooked at all. Sure, it's the first full theme park to open…

Article / Cruise

5 Things Cruise Passengers Must Remember to Do—or Else Get Soaked for Thousands of Dollars

Put your smartphone in airplane mode.As TheStreet warns: "It’s not uncommon to hear horror stories of first-time cruisers who neglected to put their phones in airplane mode, only to…

Article / Hotels

Leaving Airbnb: How to Find a Safe, High-Quality Vacation Rental on Your Own

Even giants can fall if they grow too big. The problems with Airbnb are legion, and not getting much better.Many travelers want to find a new method for finding vacation rentals.…

Article / Money and Fees

The Cheapest Countries to Travel to–and the Most Expensive

Amid growing fears of an economic recession, you might be looking for ways to tighten your travel budget. One fairly obvious way to do that: Pick a destination where your costs on the…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

When Does ETIAS Start in Europe? New Entry Requirement and Fee Delayed Again

New entry requirements for traveling to Europe have been postponed again.The European Union eventually plans to roll out two related—but different—systems that will affect…

Article / National Parks

Which National Park Facilities Are Closed Because of Trump's Actions? How to Find Out

As you prepare to pay your federal income tax again this year, take special note of how much less you're getting from your government for your money now.The National Park Service (NPS)…

Article / Air Travel

Southwest Is Changing Its Bag Policy. You Won't Like It.

Southwest Airlines is doing away with the one policy that made the carrier stand out from the competition. Starting May 28, the airline will no longer allow every passenger two free…

Article / National Parks

The U.S. National Parks Bring In Much More Money Than They Take from Federal Funding

To my mind, the U.S. National Park System (NPS) is invaluable. Its 85 million acres span all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and every U.S. territory. In these parks are…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Could This TikTok User Really Get Fined $500 for Bringing a Banana Into the U.S.?

The banana is indisputably the funniest fruit, owing to its shape, color, and connections to pratfalls and monkeys (the funniest primate). But a banana-related misadventure recounted…

Article / Car, Bus, Rail

Travel Scam Warning! This "Unpaid" Tolls Con Targets Road Trippers

Have you gotten any urgent text messages on your phone lately letting you know that you owe money for unpaid highway tolls? Well, there's good news and there's bad news. The good: You…

Article / Theme Park

Disney Is Poised to Solve its Lightning Lane Disaster—But at What Cost?

We don't have to tell you that just about everything in the life of an American consumer seems to be degrading in quality, from useless AI chatbots replacing the assistance of live…

Article / Air Travel

Cheap Flights from USA to Europe This Spring, Starting at $389 Round-Trip

Americans hoping to book an affordable spring getaway in Europe still have airfare options, thanks to Aer Lingus. Ireland's flagship carrier has rolled out a fresh batch of discounted…

Article / Hotels

Florence Bans Key Lockboxes in Its Effort to Drive Out Vacation Rentals

As vacation rental properties continue to hollow out traditional neighborhoods, European cities have found themselves in a battle for their futures.One European destination determined…

Article / Slideshows

Where to Shop in Paris: The City's Most Beautiful Boutiques and Cafes

As impressive as the museums and monuments of Paris are, the smaller establishments—bakeries, bookstores, boutiques, bars, and brasseries—are just as likely to put you under the city's…

Article / Hotels

Here's Why More and More People are Done with Airbnb—It's Quite a List

"The 'Airbnb effect' is crumbling," warned TheStreet.com in 2023, as evidence mounted that homeowners had seen collapses of as much as 47% in key U.S. vacation markets following the…

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Get a Global Entry Interview Appointment Faster: These Services Find Availability

Americans who travel internationally on a regular basis have come to love Global Entry. It's the government-run program, active since 2008, that allows preapproved members to skip the…

Article / Money and Fees

Uber Changed Its Settings to Charge Travelers Extra Fees: Here's How to Undo It

When Americans pay for something in other countries and they're asked if they would rather charge their accounts in the local currency or in U.S. dollars, only one correct choice will…