TSA staff being paid again. Now that TSA workers are getting paid again, wait times at airports are mostly back to normal (thankfully).
Increased baggage fees. Pretty much every U.S. airline has increased their baggage fees by $10, with American and United charging the most. Of course, they’re blaming the increased cost of fuel in the wake of the war in Iran. Be sure to prepay online, or you’ll pay even more at the airport.
Egypt curfew. Egypt has instituted a 9pm curfew (10pm on Thursdays and Fridays) for a month, causing businesses to close early to save energy as the Iran war brings oil and gas shortages.
Booking.com hack. Unfortunately, Booking.com’s website was hacked, so if you’ve used it, change your password now. Turn on two-step verification, too. Users have received phishing messages on WhatsApp using their stolen information. The company assures that financial information wasn’t accessed, but take precautions!
United Airlines Mileage Plus changes. As airlines become more and more in the credit card business than the flying business, United is making more changes that will benefit credit cardholders over flyers. The key difference is that you’ll get fewer miles if you don’t have a United cobranded credit card (regardless of your elite status) and more miles if you DO have a cobranded credit card.
New American Express Centurion lounges coming. In 2027, we’ll see new Criterion lounges at Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte-Douglas airports, with another coming in 2029 at Boston-Logan.
Delta One upgrade. Delta’s new Airbus A350-1000 with have 53 Delta One suites next year – about a third more than any of their current planes. It will also have more premium seats, and the lie-flat seats in Delta One will be three inches longer with an extra pillowtop layer, a shoe cubby, tray for your phone, and hook for your glasses. The seatback screens will be bigger, too!
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines in trouble with FAA. The Federal Aviation Association in the U.S. has fined both of these airlines for allowing employees to resume their duties without follow-up drug or alcohol tests after they had tested positive.
Fireworks in Paris delay flight landing. An EasyJet pilot aborted his landing at Paris Orly Airport on April 5th due to fireworks in the flight path that had been released by a nearby wedding party. The plane circled the airport and was able to safely land on another runway, but Parisian authorities are investigating.
Appalling scam in Nepal. Fodors is reporting that a horrible scam took place in Nepal from 2022-2025, and 32 people have been charged. Hospitals, helicopter companies, and Mount Everest guides worked together to poison some 4,700 international climbers, necessitating about 300 fake helicopter rescues that generated $20 million. Wow!
Historic fortress in Haiti crushes tourists. On April 11th, at least 30 people were killed, and dozens of others were injured after Citadelle Laferrière, a large 19th-century fortress and UNESCO site in Haiti, collapsed. Authorities are investigating the cause, although early reports say it was a stampede. The death toll may increase, as people remain missing.
Drone Titanic. A fleet of 950 drones created a lit version of the Titanic in Belfast, Northern Ireland early this month at the exact time and date that the ship set sail from the city in 1912. Watch video of it below. It’s quite impressive!
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.
Looks like travel in luxury is always changing. Any tips for couples on where to go for a honeymoon right now?
Well, it certainly depends on what they’re looking for. If they want something remote and different, I recommend Rapa Nui (Easter Island). If they want Europe, but not as crowded, I recommend Montenegro. If they’re more adventurous, an African safari is spectacular. If they want to lie on a beach, my favorite is St. Lucia.