Fee without Real ID. The TSA in the U.S. will start charging air passengers $45 as of February 1, 2026 if they don’t have a Real ID. So if you don’t have yours, get on that!
Travelers into the U.S. will need to disclose their social media history? Five years of it, to be exact, if this new rule goes into effect. And that will apparently apply to everyone, not just those needing a visa. Oy.
A travel caution to heed! Just because a country doesn’t require a visa when you book your trip doesn’t mean it won’t by the date of your departure. Always check again … and check again. Countries around the world are requiring more and more paperwork.
Natural disasters. Heavy rain, landslides, and cyclones hit Southeast Asia in late November, causing death and destruction in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, 7.5 and 5.7 earthquakes struck Japan last week. Our hearts go out to everyone affected.
Airbus A320 planes grounded. After an incident on a JetBlue flight in late October that caused the plane to drop in altitude and injured 15 people, Airbus A320 planes were grounded during Thanksgiving weekend, causing delays and cancellations. The FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency asked that the planes be fixed before being used again.
United Airlines in-air incident. On December 13th, United flight 803 from Dulles International Airport in Washington DC, heading to Tokyo, lost power in one of its engines after takeoff. A piece of the engine broke off and started a small brush fire on the ground. The Boeing 777-200 jet circled the airport for almost an hour to burn off the fuel before landing back at Dulles. No one was injured.
Southwest’s new unpopular policy. Travelers who are too large to fit in between their seat’s armrests will have to pay for two seats starting January 27, 2026. If the flight isn’t full, they can get a refund for one of the seats, but people are understandably upset about this new policy. Will other airlines follow suit?
U.S. national parks raise fees for foreign visitors. Foreigners will pay an additional $100 to enter U.S. National Parks as of January 1, 2026, and they also won’t be eligible for fee-free days. That’s a big ouch.
Quicksand? Yep. It isn’t just in the movies. A few days ago, a hiker in Arches National Park in Utah got his leg stuck in some actual quicksand and had to be rescued.
Swimmers killed at Tenerife. The pool at Isla Cangrejo on Tenerife’s Los Gigantes coast has contained signs lately asking people not to swim due to rough seas, but earlier this month, four people ignored the warnings and drowned. Please heed these kinds of cautions!
Four Seasons in Puerto Rico. I didn’t realize Four Seasons is only now entering the market in Puerto Rico! The new resort is on the northeastern part of the island. Check it out.
Alaska Airlines will now fly to London. Starting May 21, 2026, Alaska Airlines will send a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner every night to Heathrow for a redeye from Seattle. Business class will have lie-flat suites.
New airport lounges in Dallas. The DFW airport will get two new Plaza Premium lounges in early 2026, both in Terminal D. One will be a Premium First lounge. If you check them out, please report back!
The Louvre raises its prices. Non-EU visitors now pay 45 percent more for tickets to the Louvre in Paris. But don’t be TOO upset. It will pay for heightened security, which is obviously needed.
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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