Travel

By Marnie Hunter, CNN Five of the world’s busiest airports for passengers in 2022 were in the United States, according to preliminary global air traffic figures. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was still the world’s busiest airport for passenger volume in 2022, holding the top spot it reclaimed in 2021 after being knocked off stride by

By Faith Karimi, CNN Loni James boarded a flight from Washington state to London last year with a duffel bag, a day pack and an unconventional itinerary. It was late March, and her plan was simple: To travel the world and go on a date with a local in every country she visited. Days after

Tim Leffel, CNN You join a long line at the ticket turnstile, run the gauntlet past aggressive souvenir vendors, then emerge into a clearing to see … thousands of other tourists gathered around the Mexican ruins. Wouldn’t it be nice to visit one of these archaeological sites without the kind of crowds you normally see

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN He’d longed to go on a “crazy adventure” for years, and as Liam Garner’s high school graduation day grew closer, the teenager was more determined than ever to make his escape. An experienced cyclist, Garner, who is from Long Beach, California, had previously ridden from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and realized

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN A direct “wine train” could soon link London and southern France, and the world’s happiest country is set to share its secrets with a lucky few in a free master class on home turf, with travel expenses covered. Europe’s trains know how to party Good news for guys who like to

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN Fancy spending two months traveling overland from Istanbul to London without ever having to get behind the wheel? Indian expedition company Adventures Overland is about to launch what’s being billed as “the world’s longest bus journey.” Due to depart in August, the 56-day trip, which is available for up to 30 passengers,

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN This week in travel news: the top airports of 2023, new travel rules around the world and the man who visited Disneyland nearly 3,000 days in a row. The world’s best airports There was one commonly heard refrain, Port Authority’s Executive Director Rick Cotton tells CNN, that spurred on the multibillion

Julia Buckley, CNN The skies have been turbulent over the United States in 2023 — and not just because of rogue balloons. Since the start of the year, there have been a concerning number of high-profile “near misses” as planes involved in airport landing or taking off procedures came perilously close to potential disaster. And

Francesca Street, CNN A light-filled, green haven that brands itself as a “destination in itself,” Singapore’s Changi Airport has reclaimed its spot at the top of Skytrax’s annual ranking of the world’s best airports. Skytrax, a UK-based airline and airport review and ranking site, compiles its list by surveying travelers from across the world and

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN In our latest CNN Travel roundup, we bring you the airports offering the best customer experience, the cruise ship where you can live on board for $30,000 a year and why you’re more likely to fart when your plane is taking off or landing. The aviation experience Flying long-haul can leave

Jacopo Prisco, CNN If you’re in the market for a pair of lightly used widebody aircraft, you better head to Scotland fast and put in an offer — before two Boeing 787-8s formerly flying for Norwegian Air Shuttle get stripped for parts. Both planes are under 10 years old, as they were delivered in June

By Tony Schiemer If crowded airports are a sign, travelers are keen to get back into the skies. And if you’re flying long haul, in a few years you could have an even longer option. Qantas has announced from late 2025, it will fly passengers on nonstop flights from Australia’s east coast to London that

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN This week in travel news: The European Commission will start charging for a new visa waiver scheme next year, plus our pick of Croatian and Italian destinations and new Asian hotels. Europe delays visa waiver scheme till 2024 The long-anticipated ETIAS visa waiver scheme, which will require all non-EU passport holders

Julia Buckley, CNN A private cocoon up in the sky, with even your own heating system that you can turn up and down at whim? That’s what’s on offer in the latest groundbreaking new first class suite unveiled by an airline. For once, though, it’s not a Middle Eastern airline laying on the glitz. Astonishingly,

Julia Buckley, CNN Have you ever dreamed of giving it all up, leaving it all behind and hitting the road to escape all your responsibilities? It sounds good, doesn’t it? But it also sounds expensive. Or at least, it did sound expensive until now — because now a cruise company is launching a three-year, 130,000-mile,

Francesca Street, CNN Any air travel can be stressful, but facing down a long-haul flight can be especially intimidating. Should you prioritize sleeping or eating, or both? Should you attempt to exercise in the aisle? Is it ever acceptable to take off your shoes? Kris Major is a British flight attendant with 24 years’ experience.

Elissa Garay, CNN For travelers who love to cruise but also consider themselves to be environmentally minded, the concept of “green” cruising can seem counterintuitive. Indeed, sustainability challenges abound in an industry known for its carbon-spewing vessels, excess waste production (spanning trash, sewage, and gray water), and port overtourism — not to mention environmental violations

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN This week in travel news: the best time and day to book your flights, new business and first class cabins for Qantas and Air France, and the only woman living on an island populated by convicted criminals. When should you book your flights? With some airfares up by as much as

Kate Springer, CNN For seasoned travelers, there’s nothing particularly memorable about the typical hotel arrival. Whether you take public transit, a taxi or an Uber, you’ll eventually find your way to the lobby and then wait your turn to check-in — rarely a highlight of the trip. But what if you could zipline over a

Francesca Street, CNN The first time Anthony Sall saw Barbara Olle, he was “starstruck.” It was the summer of 1969. Anthony was a 28-year-old American college graduate shirking familial expectations to explore the world. Anthony had rejected his father’s offer of a job in their successful family business to spend the best part of five

By Marnie Hunter, CNN Spring break and a busy summer are rolling up fast for travelers after the post-holiday lull. And if you’ve looked at flights lately, you’ve probably had a bit of a jolt. Or a big jolt if you’re hoping to fly to the Asia Pacific region. Here’s what to expect from airfare

By Emmy Abbassi, CNN Who wants to live like everybody else? Airbnb is honoring “The Phantom of the Opera,” Broadway’s longest running show, by inviting two guests to spend the night in Paris’ historic Palais Garnier, the venue that inspired the beloved novel and musical. On April 16, “The Phantom of the Opera” will take

Kathleen Benoza, CNN A surprisingly large number of Japanese say that travel is no longer a priority for them. A survey done last year by global intelligence company Morning Consult showed that 35% of Japanese respondents said they were unwilling to travel again, the highest number of any country. Tetsu Nakamura, a professor at Tamagawa

By Forrest Brown, CNN Bicycles can be a great way for travelers to enjoy a city. Not only do you have easy access to many tourist spots, but they’re good for your personal health, financial health and the planet’s health. However, not all cities are bicycle friendly. The last thing you want is a stressful

By Doug Drury You may have seen the news Qantas flight 144 from Auckland landed safely in Sydney in January after the pilot was forced to shut down an engine and issue a mayday call while flying over the Pacific Ocean. The plane was reportedly a 10-year-old, twin-jet Boeing 737 and was carrying 145 passengers,

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Most of the time, headlines about Afghanistan are ringed with tragedy: food shortages, orphaned children, and even executions. Since the Taliban took full control of the country in 2021, the humanitarian situation there has deteriorated, as economic and diplomatic isolation does little to alleviate strife caused by human rights abuses perpetrated

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN From returning to the sky in new livery to fly for another airline, to being recycled for parts or moving an aircraft boneyard, the possibilities for retired aircraft are seemingly endless. Some have been converted into restaurants, museums, cafes and even party venues. But this private jet turned luxury villa, located on

Francesca Street, CNN Vickie Moretz had never left the southern United States, let alone traveled abroad. The prospect of flying across the Atlantic was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. It was February 1982. Vickie was 22, a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee, en route to London to participate in a work study program.

Blane Bachelor, CNN When it comes to planning a European vacation, travel industry experts have traditionally advised tourists hoping to save money and avoid crowds to visit popular destinations like Italy, France, and Spain in off-season windows, like late winter or early spring. But as the bounceback of international travel in the post-pandemic landscape shows

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN Our weekly travel newsletter brings you snapshots of what’s happening around the world right now, from the delivery of the last Boeing 747 to a selfie-loving Colorado bear and former monasteries for sale in Italy. Yas queen Boeing said farewell to the “Queen of the Skies” as the last-ever Boeing 747

By Zoe Sottile, CNN Call it the summer buffet of air travel. Frontier Airlines has announced its newest incentive to get travelers back in the air post-pandemic: An unlimited summer flight pass that costs $399. The all-you-can-fly plan allows Frontier customers to book “an unlimited number of flights” from May 2 to September 30, says

Julia Buckley, CNN For decades she’s been dubbed “queen of the skies” and now it’s official — kind of. The last Boeing 747 to ever be produced traced the shape of a crown in the sky as she made her maiden flight. Cargo operator Atlas Air took delivery of the jumbo jet on Tuesday, in

By Miquel Ros, CNN More than half a century since the original jumbo jet ushered in a glamorous new jet age, helping bring affordable air travel to millions of passengers, the last-ever Boeing 747 was delivered on Tuesday, marking the start of the final chapter for the much-loved airplane. In a ceremony that was broadcast

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN Spending over a year flying around the world with your family in a tiny single-engine aircraft is something most people could only imagine. But it’s very much the reality for the Porters, from Canada, who are currently around halfway through a 14-month circumnavigation of the world. Ian Porter, who has been a

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN After decades of traveling, both separately and together, Rachel Davey and Martina Sebova had each visited over 100 of the 195 UN-recognized countries and territories on the globe. The pair, who met during an overland tour of Europe back in 2008, were having coffee together in Melbourne, Australia, when they first discussed

By Jacopo Prisco, CNN Late last August, a solar-powered drone called Zephyr almost beat one of aviation’s most enduring records. The unmanned aircraft, operated by the US Army and produced by Airbus, flew for 64 days, 18 hours and 26 minutes before unexpectedly crashing down in Arizona — just four hours shy of breaking the

By Lilit Marcus, CNN The phrase “queen of the skies” has just taken on another meaning. While the now-discontinued Boeing 747 bore the moniker in the past, Virgin Atlantic is repurposing the phrase as it names a plane after the late Queen Elizabeth II. The airline has occasionally named its planes after notable women in