Travel News: April 1, 2024

Travel News. Graphic by Melanie Votaw.

Southwest Airlines is planning to start its first red-eye flights within the next couple of years.

Istanbul Airport has been named the best airport in the world for the fourth time in a row.

United Airlines now allows you to combine your MileagePlus miles together with as many as five people! Hopefully, other airlines will follow suit. Speaking of United, the FAA has increased its oversight of the airline because it has had a few too many safety incidents.

Four Seasons is launching yacht cruises on a 14-deck luxury vessel in 2026. Itineraries will include the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Greek Islands.

Newark Liberty Airport’s Terminal A has received a 5-star rating. The only other U.S. airports to get such a high rating are LaGuardia’s Terminal B and Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport.

TSA PreCheck has added more airlines to its program: Air Premia, Air Tahiti Nui, Air Transat, Bahamasair, BermudAir, Iberia, La Compagnie, and New Pacific Airlines join Norse Atlantic Airways, Lynx Air, Starlux Airlines, and Fiji Airways that were added in December.

Ecuador is experiencing gang violence that saddens me a great deal, as it’s one of my favorite countries in the world. The country’s youngest mayor and her advisor were murdered the last week of March.

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Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.

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