Thursday, May 6, 2021
Good morning! There's lots of news in the travel industry this week so scroll down to see 12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today.
The Best Mother's Day Gift For Traveling Moms?
Can you believe Sunday is Mother's Day? I asked my wife what she wanted to do for her special day and she said that all she wants is a good night's sleep. With two little kids who always want to be by their mother's side, you can't blame her. One of her favorite ways to get a good night's sleep is by using this sleep mask. It's not the one I prefer (I use this one when I travel) but it's a great blackout mask for home and travel, especially for people who are light sleepers or who suffer from migraines.
More Ideas For Mom: Bagsmart Electronic Organizer
This sleek and compact tech organizer makes a great gift for Mom. It will help her keep her chargers, cables, earphones and other tech essentials organized at home and on the road. You'll probably want to pick one up for yourself, too! Buy it here.
iFlex Phone and Tablet Stand
My wife got this tip from a flight attendant on YouTube who says she always travels with this flexible phone and tablet stand that perfectly props up your devices but also flattens out for easy packing. Natalie uses it all the time around the house and it's perfect on a plane, too. Buy it here.
PLUS: Find more great Mother's Day gift ideas here.
My WGN Travel Segment with Bob Sirott
This week, I was up early to call into Bob Sirott's WGN show. If you heard me on the show and subscribed to my newsletter, welcome! Below are the notes I promised. And here's the link to the WGN page so you can listen to the segment here.
-Where To Find Entry Requirements For Travel
-What To Do With Expiring Travel Vouchers
-The iPhone Map App Every Traveler Needs To Download Now
15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2021
This post is chock-full of rental car tips since there's a shortage and prices are through the roof. Here are my 15 tips for renting a car.
A Car Rental Tip You've Never Heard Before That Can Save You Time, Money and Maybe Even Jail Time
Since those rental car tips were so popular, I dug a little bit deeper and interviewed a former car rental executive of 13 years. Tammilee provides tips and smart thinking that can really save you time, money and maybe even jail time! That's right. I never even thought about doing what she suggests to make sure you don't get in trouble with the law. It's a simple and brilliant tip, which you can read here. You can also read the full interview here or listen to it on my podcast.
12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
Here are the story headlines:
— FAA hits maskless, unruly passengers with hefty fines
— TSA warns of longer airport wait times as travel ramps up
— Travellers ‘could face 10-hour airport queues’ due to COVID checks
— Avelo expands to East Coast; Announces new base
— He faked a coronavirus certificate to fly to Argentina, officials say. He was infected all along.
— Australia: Soon we'll no longer feel sorry for Americans, we'll envy them
— New Zealand pauses 'travel bubble' with Australia amid coronavirus outbreak in Sydney
— FAA has further questions on latest Boeing 737 MAX electrical problem
— Indonesia airport scammers reused Covid nasal swab tests on passengers
— Norwegian Cruise Lines says bookings for first half of 2022 are ahead of pre-pandemic levels
— Bus passenger caught with fresh human head and hands in bag
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers
(Read it all here in today's travel news round-up as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!)
Travel Credit Card of the Week
New LTOs! Earn up to 180,000 points to use at these hotels, plus free weekend nights, Diamond elite status, and more with these new hotel credit card offers.
What’s It Like To Travel To And Quarantine In Thailand During COVID-19?
Thailand is one of my favorite countries. However, you probably don’t want to be visiting during COVID-19 since the quarantine rules are strict. My friend and travel author Kevin Revolinski shares what it’s like to travel to, and quarantine in, Thailand during COVID-19. Here are the details.
In Case You Missed It
Avelo Airlines Inaugural Flight
I flew on Avelo Airlines' inaugural flight! Here’s what it was like and where we went.
Updated: European Union To Allow Fully Vaccinated Americans This Summer
The New York Times broke a story that the European Union is going to allow fully vaccinated travelers to visit this summer! Here are the details and my take.
Avoid This Airport During These Times
There are runway closures at this major US airport that will cause some delays for the next several months so it's best to avoid it if possible, during these times. Here's the story.
‘Do Not Travel’ List: The US State Department Adds 116 Countries
The big travel news last week was that the U.S. State Department updated the country's travel advisories and added a lot of new countries to the 'Do Not List Travel' list. I think you will be surprised like I was. Read the story here.
3 Websites To Cross-Reference Before Traveling Internationally
In light of the European Union now saying that they’ll welcome vaccinated Americans this summer, I recommend that before you travel internationally, you also consult these three websites.
A Travel Tip That Can Save You From Going To Jail
Never did I think I’d write this tip but there’s an important lesson here for travelers heading out of the USA. Read it here.
Air Canada Is Finally Issuing Refunds
Here's how to get your money back.
How I'm Protecting My CDC Vaccination Card
Last week, I wrote about using a protective sleeve to protect your vaccination card and so many of you were interested but they were sold out. Update: Amazon has them back in stock and ready to ship in a couple of days.
Tips for Traveling to Hawaii During COVID
-10 Tips for Traveling to Hawaii (Oahu) During COVID
-Maui Advice for Travelers
-The App Every Traveler to Hawaii Needs to Download
-Live Hawaii Webcams
Safety
-10 Things to Have in Case of an Emergency
-How To Always Have Clean Water
-The Pocket Thermometer You Should Never Leave Home Without
-Life-Saving Car Emergency Tips
-5 Places an Infectious Diseases Doctor Begs You Not to Go
-My Somewhat Freakish Travel Habit Might Just Save Your Life
Helpful Tips
-The Map App Every Traveler Needs To Download Now
-Genius iPhone Hack
Food/Shop
-The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without
-A Brilliant New Travel Purse for Women
-The Best Airplane Toy For Any Kid
-Your Favorite Travel Foods Delivered & a $15 Promo Code
-A Slice of Hawaii With This Amazing and Cheap Tool for Slicing Pineapple
Vaccination
-My Experience Getting Vaccinated at CVS
-A Better Way to Protect Your Vaccine Card
-How To Get A Krispy Kreme Doughnut Every Day For Free in 2021
Facemasks
-Buy N95 & KN95 masks on Amazon
-Buy Aiden Health’s N95, KN95 masks and other PPE
-50-pack of kids disposable face masks
Hands Down the Best Beach Toy for Kids
After one toss, my son was hooked. He seriously would not stop asking for one and he’s never done that before and since then, I've had countless readers email or tweet me to say how much their kids love it. Here's where to get it ... and it's inexpensive, too.
This Week’s Travel Contests | 
