"TAKE OUT YOUR HEADPHONES! We all need to stop acting like technology makes anti-social behavior okay. Be polite. Be considerate. Think of others." This has bothered my a lot recently. If you want service on a flight, take your headphones out when the crew gets to your row. @woconnor11.bsky.social

The first feature I’ve edited for National Geographic is up! So pumped 🤗

We need to stop w this idea that traveling in and of itself makes you a better person! gettingaround.substack.com/p/rick-steve...

My latest destination guide is out, this time for Amsterdam. Has all my favorite spots, including this relatively obscure gem gettingaround.substack.com/p/amsterdam-...

The post-COVID boom in tourism to Europe may be reaching its breaking point—today Louvre staff went on strike: apnews.com/article/louv...

I really don’t understand how anybody who looks closely at what Airbnb is offering w its “relaunched” Experiences and new Services product is impressed or credulously repeating everything the company says is going to happen.

This feels insane to me Southwest

Letting things go 🧔🏻

Wow Southwest is ending free checked bags policy! Going from two free checked bags straight to zero unless you’re Business Select (you get 2 still) or A-list or Southwest credit card holder (you get 1). Real risk of alienating price-conscious fliers at a moment that price-consciousness is increasing

The timelines offered are likely absurd, but I’m still enough of a dreamer to love all the possible innovation happening in aviation right now!

Yes it’s one of the more awe-inducing man-made things to see, but it’s become a deeply unpleasant experience

Lololol tix for Fyre Fest 2 went on sale today

A little exhibit on Sea Cloud (once the largest sailing yacht in the world) reminded me of what Harry Thaw said when he saw Mar-a-Lago…

Just a reminder as you’re planning your spring and summer vacations — do NOT go to Giverny

My latest destination guide is out! This time for Rio de Janeiro :)

Hear me out! Buenos Aires is now an underrated destination devoid of hordes of American tourists

Tucson, Arizona is one of the most magical and charming places to visit in the U.S. w unforgettable hikes, a rich culture, and unique architecture. My latest destination guide is here! open.substack.com/pub/gettinga...

It’s one thing for the new administration and his supporters to have an outpost in the middle of official Washington on Pennsylvania Ave, it would be a whole other thing for that outpost to be in the middle of local (very liberal) Washington in Adam’s Morgan. @woconnor11.bsky.social

Rating trails is really hard. Fully agree with @woconnor11.bsky.social here (and prefer Komoot over AllTrails).

I spent last week visiting 10 of Mexico City’s most buzzed about new restaurants gettingaround.substack.com/p/mexico-cit...

American Airlines says vendor tech was to blame for outage that led to ground stop this morning. Unclear how long it will take to unravel the delays, as some hubs like Charlotte are facing big delays

Tucson for Christmas for 3rd year in row!

The FTC just passed a rule banning junk fees for hotels and live events … as I’ve said in my newsletter about the companies fighting this: it’s not great if your business success is predicated on hiding the true cost

It stayed under the radar amidst all the Notre Dame news, but Santa Maria del Popolo also reopened recently after a major restoration www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/st...

For this week’s newsletter I went to try Ina Garten’s favorite cheeseburger! gettingaround.substack.com/p/i-tried-in...

This week’s newsletter is my destination guide for Montreal—a city I’d argue is the third-coolest in North America 😅 gettingaround.substack.com/p/montreal-g...

A century in the making, Thessaloniki's Metro has finally opened, including an "impressive underground museum at the new Venizelou station, where passengers can see a marble-paved Roman road and hundreds of artifacts" found during construction. @aitorehm.bsky.social

Some pretty fascinating stuff in American Airlines’ year-end summary. The top three domestic destinations for mile redemptions are Orlando, Boston, and Austin and for international it’s London, Cancun, and Cabo. Not see the through line for those domestic ones tho…

What if your Spotify wrapped is just boring?

Watching this exchange between Sen Blumenthal and Delta exec and somehow Blumenthal is making the execs look reasonable (in part bc not clear Blumenthal has booked his own flights in a while…)

“I think the current business plan is not going to work and, if they pursue it, Chapter 11 will be a brief pit stop on the way to Chapter 7,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said on Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy Tuesday. Read more: www.travelandleisure.com/united-ceo-s...

I’ve been covering the local wars on lockboxes (Marseilles, Florence) but now Italy is outright banning self check-in Airbnbs! www.cnn.com/2024/12/03/t...

From a bajillion new routes to Palm Springs as well as options to the Caribbean, South Pacific, and more, here are some of the most exciting new route coming this month www.travelandleisure.com/most-excitin... (via @byerussell.com )

By the end of next year Frontier planes will have first class seating — and the airline released a rendering today:

If you've found yourself wincing every time you look at hotel prices in NYC there's a reason ... in September hotels in the city AVERAGED $417 a night (and those asinine amenity/resort/destination fees still going strong)

I wrestled with my initial feelings about the Notre Dame restoration, but after a couple days I still really don’t like it gettingaround.substack.com/p/the-photos...

Grateful for everybody who has been reading my newsletter every week—I had no idea what to expect and it’s really been such a joy trying to help ppl travel better. gettingaround.substack.com

The $250 million expansion of @longwoodgardens.bsky.social is open! I wrote about the truly stunning additions this week: gettingaround.substack.com/p/longwood-g...

Well I guess I’m over here now :)