Hello all, Andrew Kirell here. I’m a senior editor at The Daily Beast overseeing our media coverage, but you’ve likely seen my byline many times on Beast Travel. In my travels this spring and summer, I’ve fallen in love with Japan’s lesser-traveled food and adventure paradise, ate my way through Milan and Emilia-Romagna cities like Bologna and Parma, gorged myself on strip-mall tacos (after long hikes, of course) in Phoenix, and babymooned in Miami. Next week I will head to Denmark for a Beast Travel feature. One thing I’ve noticed on each trip: Air travel feels more chaotic than ever before. (Also I’m not the only grump to notice that luxury perks like Clear or elite lounges are now overcrowded and verging on useless.) Our esteemed long-time contributor Clive Irving looked into the at-times miserable experience of post-pandemic air travel and discovered that the American demand for flying has never been higher—and our airports and airlines are woefully unprepared to handle it. Of course, air travel has always been a trying endeavor, infinitely worth it for the vast treasures our world has to offer. Like the awe-inspiring design wonders of Barcelona, which we enjoy today thanks to a countercultural movement that arose after the Franco regime fell, as author Suzanne Wales writes in our featured excerpt from her new book, Made in Spain. Or the “underrated” destinations that showcase cultural and historical richness without the overcrowding. For example: Fort Worth, Texas, which Daniel Modlin explored with a newfound appreciation for its burgeoning arts scene, under-the-radar quirkiness, and, yes, of course, the margaritas and queso. Or truly special, off-the-beaten-path destinations like Chapadmalal, an Argentianian surf town where cows and horses still graze in unfenced lots and the vibes are decidedly “cool,” as Daniel Maurer wrote for our It’s Still a Big World series. Enjoy! — Andrew Kirell, Senior Editor | 