E.U. doesn’t follow Italy with covid checks on China arrivals
BRUSSELS — The European Union is assessing Beijing’s rollback of its strict anti-infection controls but refrained Thursday from immediately following EU member Italy in requiring coronavirus tests for airline passengers coming from China. Health officials from the 27-member bloc promised to continue talks on seeking a common approach to travel...
Hold on to receipts if you were affected by Southwest’s flight cancellations
To the many people affected by the cancelation this week of nearly 10,000 flights by Southwest Airlines, be sure to hold onto your receipts. From having a longer stay at the airport to hotel rooms to rental cars and more, if you incurred additional costs due to Southwest stranding you,...
Southwest Airlines flight cancellations continue to snowball
DALLAS — Families hoping to catch a Southwest Airlines flight after days of cancellations, missing luggage and missed family connections suffered through another wave of scrubbed flights, with another 2,500 pulled from arrival and departure boards Wednesday. Exhausted travelers sought passage by other means using different airlines, rental cars, or...
They had an adventure after Southwest canceled their flights
LOS ANGELES — Deborah Rombaut was not at Sacramento International Airport to make friends. She just wanted to get home to Los Angeles. But the mass cancellation of Southwest Airlines flights, which has left thousands of travelers stranded in airports and hotel rooms across the country, had a silver lining...
Experts share advice about what to do if your flight is canceled
Thousands of travelers were stranded at airports or stuck on hold trying to rebook flights this week as a massive storm snarled travel in the U.S. and Canada. More than 2,800 more flights had already been canceled in the U.S. as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the flight tracking...
Santa Claus, the Georgia city, does its ho, ho, hos softly
SANTA CLAUS, Ga. — Yes, there really is a Santa Claus … city. But you have to really, really believe. And look very, very closely. Because Santa Claus, Georgia, is easy to miss. Sue Grisham’s friends from Tennessee came to visit and went 20 miles too far down U.S. 1....
Flight canceled? Experts share some advice about what to do
Thousands of travelers were stranded at airports or stuck on hold trying to rebook flights this week as a massive storm snarled travel in the U.S. and Canada ahead of the holidays. As of Friday afternoon, more than 4,800 flights into or out of U.S. airports had been canceled, according...
Amazon extends the ‘Alexa, thank my driver’ campaign
After enthusiastic response earlier this month to the ” Alexa, thank my driver” campaign, Amazon is doing it again. It started yesterday, Dec. 21, so it is not clear if the 1 million rewards have yet been reached. When Amazon launched the program on Dec. 7, 1 million thank-yous -...
3 holiday adventures in California’s national parks
LOS ANGELES — There’s something special about a holiday trip to a national park. At many parks, you get more space to yourself, with crowds dispersing after summer ends. Snow falls, depending on the park, and certain plants and animals go into hibernation. It can be a quiet, contemplative time...
A new Seven Mile Bridge is in the works for the Florida Keys. What the state has planned
MIAMI — The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys was considered an engineering marvel when it opened in 1982. For 40 years, the span along the Overseas Highway has offered breathtaking views for people driving to and from Marathon in the Middle Keys. If you’re heading to Key West...
Plan to arrive early if you are flying home for the holidays
Airline passengers know they must get to the airport early when traveling. But, how early? One hour? Four hours? A Texas travel company, Upgraded Points, has ranked 50 major airports in the United States to determine how early passengers should arrive to avoid “Christmas chaos.” “There’s no place like home...
Nature experiences in Costa Rica that you won’t want to miss
Costa Rica may well be one of the first countries to come to people’s minds when discussing ecotourism and nature travel. With 25% of its territory protected through parks or nature reserves, the options to immerse yourself in its extensive nature are endless. Here are some of the top nature...
4 Christmas destinations just a road trip away from Western Pa.
Here is a look at four holiday-themed destinations, in addition to Overly’s Country Christmas, just a road trip away that people can enjoy this Christmas season. Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, Pa. “It’s a Wonderful Life” fans can learn more about the life of the film’s star at the Jimmy...
Report: Reliability, low fares, short trips key to transit in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia
(The Center Square) – As transit agencies across the country struggle to recover from pandemic-induced ridership loss, getting back to the basics of reliability might matter most. A new report from Moovit, a trip-planning app, analyzed user data in 2022 in 10 major American cities. Transit riders complained of unreliable...
The problems with using buy now, pay later to fund travel
Book a flight or hotel room now, and pay it off later? It’s an increasingly common trend in travel spending. Companies like American Airlines , United Airlines and vacation rental website Vacasa now offer the option to make reservations now and pay it back incrementally over time with “buy now,...
34 hours on America’s most scenic train. Is it as dreamy as it sounds?
There are certainly more efficient ways to get from Los Angeles to Seattle than sitting in a metal box for 34 hours. But Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train wasn’t designed for people who are in a rush. Perhaps you’ve come across this train on Instagram, YouTube or TikTok, where people rave...
Daycation: Steubenville, Ohio, boasts world’s largest display of life-sized nutcrackers
Experience a whimsical and traditional holiday walking tour of 200 life-sized nutcrackers on display in historic Steubenville, Ohio, located about 40 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The Steubenville Nutcracker Village offers a free, 24/7 nutcracker self-
guided outdoor tour opportunity through Jan. 7. Billed as the world’s largest collection of life-sized nutcrackers,...
Why booking directly with airlines can be more expensive
Early in the pandemic, many travelers experienced headaches while trying to rebook air travel purchased through third parties such as Orbitz and Kayak. Overloaded customer service centers and constantly changing airline policies resulted in a big mess at these agencies, prompting many travelers to book directly through the airline to...
Low-cost carriers expanding service at Pittsburgh International Airport
As air travel continues to rebound from the pandemic, Pittsburgh International Airport is receiving boosts from some ultra-low-cost carriers that plan to add or expand service to several markets starting next year. Sun Country Airlines said Monday that it will increase seasonal service between Pittsburgh and Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport...
Thanksgiving might bring changes in holiday-travel habits
The Thanksgiving travel rush was back on this year, as people caught planes in numbers not seen in years, setting aside inflation concerns to reunite with loved ones and enjoy some normalcy after two holiday seasons marked by COVID-19 restrictions. Changing habits around work and play, however, might spread out...
‘A Christmas Story’ home for sale in Cleveland
One of the most recognizable homes in holiday cinematic history is for sale. The iconic house from “A Christmas Story,” watched by millions every yuletide, was listed Monday. Vandergrift resident Lisa Dormire took a day trip last December to tour the home with a group of senior citizens from Redstone...
Expect more drivers on the road this Thanksgiving despite record gas prices
Motorists can expect record high gas prices when they hit the road for Thanksgiving next week. The national average fuel price is expected be $3.68 on Thanksgiving Day, almost 30 cents higher than last year and more than 20 cents above the previous record of $3.44 set in 2012. Despite...
Airbnb aims to convince more people to rent out their homes
Convinced that the boom in leisure travel is permanent, Airbnb aims to expand its listings by convincing more people to turn their homes into short-term rentals. The company said Wednesday that it will increase the amount of liability coverage for hosts, up to $3 million, in a play for owners...
The busiest days to fly during the winter holidays
Most weeks of the year, Fridays are the busiest days to fly, and Tuesdays are the least busy. But during the holidays, that trend doesn’t necessarily hold true. In most years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is actually the busiest travel day for U.S. airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration,...
Spirit Airlines to cut flights from Arnold Palmer Regional to Ft. Lauderdale
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is marketing itself to other low-cost carriers as Spirit Airlines told officials it will be halting its flights from the Unity area to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 5. Spirit’s decision leaves Orlando as the sole destination for commercial flights from the airport near Latrobe, where...
