Sunday, February 23 
I hope you're having a great weekend! Yesterday, my wife and I took our kids to the LA Travel and Adventure Show and we ran into some old friends including Josh Gates and Rick Steves, which was a treat because my son loves watching some of their shows.
📰 A lot of travel news, including the Delta Air Lines regional jet crash
If you receive my Daily Travel Tip newsletter (this newsletter is a weekly summary of that one) then you already know there was a lot of travel news this week ... so much so that the Top 12 Travel Stories of the Week has turned into 16. Scroll down to see it all but no doubt the biggest and scariest travel news this week was the Delta Air Lines regional jet crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
📻 New subscribers and radio appearance on WGN Chicago
We have a lot of new subscribers this week thanks to Bob Sirott's morning drive on WGN in Chicago. I called in on Thursday to discuss a wide range of topics including the recent airline crashes, my fear of flying, advice on how to cope with aerophobia, the battle for overhead bin space (see Friday's tip below) and Spring Break deals.
🪪 Reader tip of the week: Military IDs as Real ID for TSA
On Friday, a reader sent me a great tip I thought I would share: "Some people may NOT know this. I am a retired AF officer and, Military ID cards are equivalent to Real ID driver's license to get through TSA. It might be worth mentioning it in one of your articles about the changes in Real ID for going through TSA." Thanks, Robert K, for your tip and for your service!
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✈️ Today's Travel Outlook 
As of 9:19am PT, there have been 41 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 1,291 delayed. Here's a link to the up-to-date stats and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System Status. Here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancellations.
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🧭 Travel Product of the Week 
46% off Anker 5-in-1 hub
A hub like this is an essential when I travel. It streamlines my chargers and is an excellent travel companion. It's got a 4K HDMI port, USB-C and USB-A data ports and a 100W PD-IN port for pass-through charging. Regularly $34.99, it's currently 46% off for $18.84 for a limited time. Buy here.
 American Airlines now supports Apple’s AirTag location sharing
Great news! American Airlines just announced they're now supporting Apple's Share Item Location feature, which allows passengers to track lost luggage with an AirTag. They're following the lead of Delta and United. Buy a single AirTag here ($29.99) or a 4-pack (back down to their lowest price ever, $69.99) here. |
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🏨 Monday 
The 5 questions you should always ask hotel front desk agents
Checking into a hotel anytime soon? Before you do, consider what things might annoy you and try to avoid them before you even get to your room. These are the five questions I always ask hotel front desk agents when I check in or even before I arrive.
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✈️ Tuesday 
Tips for travelers after video surfaces from inside the Delta plane crash
Video footage and tips are pouring in after yesterday’s crash of Delta Air Lines flight 4819 from Minneapolis (MSP) to Toronto (YYZ). The CRJ-900 (Canadair Regional Jet) operated by Endeavor Air flipped upside down upon landing and miraculously, no one died, thanks to the flight attendants’ training and passengers wearing their seatbelts. Here are some life-saving tips.
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💺Wednesday 
Save your money and stop paying for airline seat assignments: Here’s how
I recently shared my top 8 hacks for getting the best coach seat on a plane. A reader left a very relatable comment, one that I think many travelers will find interesting. Philip P. wrote: “On my recent flights, there was a cost to pick ANY seat, so the only thing one can do is pay extra!” I’ve noticed this as well, especially when booking flights on airlines with whom I don’t have elite status. I often think to myself, “What a scam,” especially for first-time or occasional flyers. However, there are a few ways to avoid getting suckered.
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🛫 Thursday 
What travelers can learn from the Delta Air Lines plane crash in Toronto: 10 essential safety tips
The recent crash of Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson International Airport serves as a stark reminder of the importance of passenger preparedness during air travel. Despite the aircraft flipping upside down upon landing, all 80 individuals on board survived, with 18 sustaining injuries. This incident underscores several critical safety practices that travelers should adopt to enhance their chances of survival in the event of an emergency. I know no one wants to think about these things as they prepare to take a trip but these tips could make all the difference.
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🧳 Friday 
Avoid overhead bin fights: Rules every traveler should know
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal wrote an article titled: The Battle for Overhead Bins Is Raging. These Are the Rules to Play By. Because I’ve flown thousands of times and millions of miles, I know the so-called rules. However, as the article points out, not everyone does know the rules nor does everyone agree on them … and I’m one of those people. Here's what you need to know.
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🚕 Saturday 
This private transportation service is one of the best-kept travel secrets for stress-free European vacations
In today's tip, Johnny Jet contributor Melissa Curtin shares her personal experience with a private transportation company that she says made her travels in Europe smooth, seamless and stress-free. Here's what you should know if you or someone you know is traveling to Europe any time soon.
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💬 TRAVEL QUOTE OF THE WEEK “They may not always work, but generosity and reasonableness and patience do on the whole seem best.” ~ Murasaki Shikibu |
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📺 Travel Videos of the Week  Breaking: Delta Air Lines plane crash lands in Toronto while arriving from MSP
Some Hollywood-like images are coming in from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) after a Delta Air Lines jet somehow ended up upside down on the runway. Watch the video here.
‘Oh no, no, no, no, no!’ Pilot footage shows the moment Delta 4819 crashed in Toronto
It's a harrowing sight to see this aircraft land, then skid and burst into flames. Here's the clearest footage of DL4819 landing at YYZ, shared by a pilot who caught the whole thing on video.
Airline baggage worker writes “Safe Flight” in snow and not everyone appreciated it
I recently came across a video showing an airport baggage handler writing “Safe Flight” in the snow outside the window of a Delta airplane. While the exact location remains unclear, the presence of a Delta regional jet suggests it was somewhere in the Northeast, Midwest, Utah or Canada. The video quickly went viral, but not everyone shared my appreciation for this gesture. Here's the video - what do you think of it?
Viral video shows passengers dancing on top of airplane seats during turbulence
I often call out ultra low-fare carriers like Frontier, Spirit, EasyJet and RyanAir. The latter two were the subjects of two stories last week. RyanAir because they charged a passenger $62 to bring a water bottle aboard the plane and EasyJet because their gate agent told a passenger his bag doesn’t fit in the bag sizer and to delete footage showing that it does. Well, the flight attendants of this ultra-low cost carrier have some serious explaining to do after this video went viral.
Work smarter not harder: Here’s the viral hack to quickly remove snow from your sidewalk and car
A lot of fresh snow makes everything look prettier, but it also makes getting around more difficult – including just walking down your driveway or steps. Thanks to social media, great ideas can spread like wildfire and here's one that I think everyone will appreciate (except maybe for the salty language, sorry about that!) But it's a solid idea so here's the video and tip.
Martha Stewart tours the United Polaris lounge at EWR
This tour of the United Polaris lounge at EWR isn't coming to you courtesy of your favorite travel blogger but from lifestyle queen Martha Stewart. Check it out here. |
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🌎 Top 16 Travel Stories of the Week 1 Delta offering $30,000 to passengers who were on plane that crash-landed in Toronto
2 "Of course" it's safe to fly, transportation secretary says
3 Layoffs hit FAA employees tasked with producing air traffic navigation maps
4 Southwest Air to cut 15% of corporate jobs in first-ever layoffs
5 Member of flight crew detained at Boston airport before international flight to Paris
6 Multiple bus explosions in Israel put country on terrorism alert
7 Trump administration backtracks on eliminating thousands of national parks employees
8 Some of the 400 jobs that were cut at the FAA helped support air safety, a union says
9 Major US airlines challenge Biden-era DOT wheelchair accessibility rule
10 More than 200 TSA employees fired in Trump's push to cut federal workforce
11 Trump administration moves to end NYC congestion pricing
12 America’s air traffic systems need an urgent upgrade
13 Long lines and canceled rentals: Firings bring chaos to national parks
14 It's official: Southwest Airlines now has redeye flights on 5 routes, with more to come
15 Hundreds of United passengers stranded on snowy island for days
16 Tomb of ancient Egyptian king unearthed in ‘remarkable’ discovery
Read it all here as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week! |
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🧵 TRAVEL THREAD OF THE DAY @nomadicmatt: Has anyone noticed that, lately, Uber has been showing you one price and then charging you another? They doubled the price of my airport ride last night. |
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✅ Currency Exchange 🇪🇺 €1 Euro = $1.04 USD
🇬🇧 £1 GBP = $1.26 USD
🇨🇦 $1 CAD = $0.70 USD
🇦🇺 $1 AUD = $0.63 USD
🇲🇽 $1 MXN = $.0489 USD
✅ Calendar Countdown 🐰 56 days until Easter
🎖️ 89 days until Memorial Day Weekend
🗽 131 days until 4th of July
🛠 190 days until Labor Day
🎃 250 days until Halloween |
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