The 2021 holiday season is going to be truly bonkers. Due to a cornucopia of merging reasons, holiday airfare is set to be expensive and the airports could be crowded and filled with long lines. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help mitigate the travel stress when traveling home (or on vacation) this holiday season. What’s Happening Three main events are happening that could turn Thanksgiving and Christmas travel into an absolute nightmare this year. First, there are going to be more travelers this year. Many people weren’t able to visit their families last holiday…
Author: Keith Langston
The Manhattan skyline is a truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring sight to be seen. In fact, the immense size of the city and the towering buildings is what attracts many people to visit the city each year. There’s just one problem: Once you’re in the city, you can’t see the skyline! The Manhattan skyline is best seen from across the river, or up in an observation deck. It’s no wonder why the city has multiple to choose from since each unique angle leads to new views. Here are the five best observation decks Manhattan has to offer. Top of the…
The USA has announced that international visitors who are fully vaccinated will once again be able to enter the United States starting November 8, 2021. The news was unveiled from the White House via Twitter by Kevin Munoz, the Assistant Press Secretary. This means that many travelers from the EU, UK, China, and more will once again be able to visit America. https://twitter.com/KMunoz46/status/1448994395957641241 To enter the country, visitors must be fully vaccinated by one of the vaccines approved by America’s FDA or the World Health Organization. Visitors must also take a COVID test no more than 72 hours before their…
The cruise line, MSC, is determined to do something to save the world’s coral reefs by using their private island in the Caribbean, Ocean Cay, as a marine reserve. The island itself and its surrounding waters are protected against harmful activities and serve as a refuge for ocean life. Now, MSC is partnering with the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University to create a super coral program. The first step in the initiative is to open the Super Coral Center on the island of Ocean Cay. This will become the home of a learning center, laboratory, and coral nursery.…
United Airlines has declared its vaccine mandate for employees a huge success, with the airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby, announcing that 99.7% of United’s eligible 64,000 employees are vaccinated. Another 3,000 are refusing vaccines, claiming religious and/or medical reasons, which, legally, United isn’t currently allowed to question. In a statement, the airline said, “Vaccine requirements work and nearly all of United’s U.S. employees have chosen to get a shot. For a number of our employees who were approved for an accommodation, we’re working to put options in place that reduce the risk to their health and safety, including new testing regimens, temporary…
As travelers, we all want to get rewards that help make travel easier and cheaper. However, we don’t want to get hit with yearly fees, which make our hard-earned points feel as though we simply paid for them through the card’s annual fee. Luckily, there are some excellent no-fee travel cards out there. Whether you want to accumulate points toward hotel stays or airline tickets, these credit cards will help you get there sooner than you think. EXPEDIA REWARDS Expedia recently announced that it will be merging the rewards programs for all of its various brands, including Expedia, Orbitz, Vrbo,…
New York City is loaded with observation decks, from the World Trade Center to the Empire State Building, but none quite compare to the experience at SUMMIT, which is opening on October 21 at the newly-completed One Vanderbilt tower next to Grand Central Station. SUMMIT blends the views of New York City with thrilling experiences, art, and even a cafe and bar. Here’s your first glimpse into the stunning new space. When arriving at SUMMIT, you’re greeted with an immersive artistic experience, Air. Air is all about the juxtaposition between the ground and air, inside and outside, and up and…
Though many people might not know this, for years now, Expedia has owned many of its competitors, including Orbitz, Vrbo, Travelocity, Hotwire, CheapTickets, Trivago, Hotels.com, and more. Now, Expedia has released a statement saying that all of its brands will be merging their loyalty programs, similar to the way that airline alliances have formed. When speaking to CNBC, Jon Gieselman, president of Expedia Brands, stated, “Our loyalty program will offer members the opportunity to earn and redeem points across all Expedia Group brands, even those brands, like Vrbo, that didn’t have loyalty programs before. A customer will be able to earn points for their Vrbo vacation rental and redeem it on an…
The Center for Biological Diversity has released its new list of species that have become officially extinct, naming 22 aninals and one plant species in total that have fallen victim to climate change and habitat destruction. “We’re at risk of losing hundreds more species because of a lack of urgency,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Endangered Species Act is the most powerful tool we have to end extinction, but the sad reality is that listing still comes too late for most species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service badly needs to…
The USA is still reporting over 100,000 new COVID cases every single day, and many people around the world have yet to receive a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, so hotels are beginning to see the value in requring that their quests be vaccinated. While some say doing this could limit the number of people who wish to stay in these hotels, others see it as a way to attract guests, offering them a safe space that reduces their chances of contracting the virus while traveling for work or on vacation. In a recent Forbes article, they report that 61%…
A 110-foot Ferris wheel has been erected in Manhattan’s famous Times Square. New York’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, took the inaugural ride, stating afterward, “This is a really amazing feeling — you are floating above Times Square. It’s like I’ve never had an experience like this in my whole life. Times Square is the crossroads of the world, and you are up there just floating. It is amazing, it is worth it. Whether you are a visitor, or a New Yorker, come on down and experience this. It’s only for a limited time,” The unveiling also attracted celebrtiies Robin Roberts…
As the summer travel season comes to a close, airlines are seeing a waning demand for flights, due largely to COVID concerns. In fact, because of the Delta variant, many officials are asking unvaccinated Americans to not travel this Labor Day weekend. However, this drop in demand is also leading to some extremely cheap flights. When searching for low fares we found roundtrip tickets from Houston to Chicago were going for as little as $96.80, and roundtrip cross-country flights from NYC to San Diego were as low as $236.79. While unvaccinated people shouldn’t travel at all, these low prices could become…
Yucatan, Mexico has announced that it has officially legalized same-sex marriage in the state, and has also banned conversion therapy. Technically speaking, the country of Mexico legalized same-sex marriage back in 2015. However, due to laws at the state level, it was still a hassle for same-sex couples to get married in certain states as they had to go through numerous extra steps to make it happen. By officially legalizing it on the state level, residents and visitors to the Yucatan can not only have a more seamless marriage process, but it lets them know that they are welcomed and…
Many people live in towns with airports too small for large airlines to service. If a large airline does serve their destination, it’s usually on a small commuter jet that’s actually operated by a third-party regional airline like Republic Airways. While many business travelers have surely heard of large regional names like Republic Airways, and many tourists have probably heard of famous destination-based regional airlines like Cape Air, there are tons of small airlines across North America that most people have never flown (and probably have never heard of). PORTER Porter is a Toronto-based regional that prides itself on…
Due to the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, this summer has turned into a nightmare for some popular destinations. One of the biggest reasons for this is unvaccinated tourists who have caused massive COVID outbreaks in travel hotspots like Florida and New Orleans. And now, another tourist destination has been hit hard by increased COVID infections—Hawaii. Hawaii currently has over 9,300 active COVID cases, which is crippling the state’s healthcare system. To curb the spread, they have reinstated capacity limits for restaurants and are canceling all large gatherings like concerts and shows. Hawaii’s governor, David Ige, even went a…
In a startling turn of events, all cruise lines departing from Florida will now require passengers over the age of 12 to be fully vaccinated. The move comes as numerous Caribbean ports begin clamping down on unvaccinated Americans. Most notable is the Bahamas, which has two of the busiest cruise ports in the entire world: Nassau and the Out Islands ports. In a new emergency measure, the Bahamas has stated that cruise ships without 100% vaccinated passengers won’t be allowed to dock at any port in the nation. This rule also has jurisdiction in any of the private islands owned…
The famed theatrical troupe of Cirque du Soleil has teamed up with Disney to produce a new live spectacular. Premiering in mid-November, the new show, titled Drawn to Life, follows a young girl who discovers a surprise left to her by her father who was a Disney animator. She discovers an unfinished animation he was working on, and as she embarks on a quest to learn more, she’s surrounded by the rush and excitement of creativity, brought to life by Crique dancers. The show will combine live performance with animated sequences to create a truly unique experience. After watching rehearsal performances,…
The federal mandate for masking while on modes of transit like Amtrak, long-distance busses like Greyhound, and all airlines will continue until January 18, 2022. The original mask mandate was scheduled to expire in mid-September, however, with the new wave of the Delta variant spreading rapidly, the federal government has decided to keep the mandate in place until 2022. This may be a good idea to help protect the unvaccinated, but why is the Federal government not requiring passengers to show proof of vaccination in order to take pubic transportation? The only way to stop this pandemic is through vacinnations.…
Earlier this month, Canada reopened to tourists from the United States. This marked the first time the Canadian border had been open to Americans since March of 2020. This means travelers can once again dine on poutine in Montreal, hike Banff, and go to the top of Toronto’s CN Tower. However, not all visitors will be welcomed. Here’s a list of the things you’ll need in order to cross over Canada’s newly-opened borders. 1.) All US Citizens and residents must be fully vaccinated. Your vaccination card must be physically present while in Canada. 2.) Fully vaccinated Americans must also present…
United Airlines has announced that it will require all staff and crew to be vaccinated. According to NPR, the airline’s new policy states, “The requirement is that all U.S. domestic employees of the airline be fully vaccinated by Oct. 25, or five weeks from the date that any one vaccine gets full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, whichever comes first.” Vaccinating passengers and crew in the air industry is crucial now that the airlines have stopped blocking middle seats, which allows for close-contact spread of the newer, more contagious variants of the coronavirus. The WHO states that COVID…