The article offers updated travel strategies for 2026, emphasizing local experiences like board games and third-culture dining, exploring neighborhoods through activities like padel, prioritizing vibe over traditional sights, and choosing flexible, experience-driven dining and accommodation options. It also advises careful selection of travel planners and social media sources to enhance trip quality.
A travel writer tested five AI chatbots to plan a family trip to South Dakota, finding Deepseek the most effective for itinerary planning, while Google Gemini excelled at mapping, and others like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot were less practical.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held across the US, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, with a variety of ticketing options and travel strategies for fans, including city-based, team-following, hub-and-spoke, and luxury packages, emphasizing early planning due to high demand and costs.
AI tools like ChatGPT are unreliable for detailed travel planning due to frequent errors, lack of real-time updates, and inability to account for personal preferences, making manual verification essential for safe and effective trips.
Google has enhanced its Maps app with new features to assist with holiday shopping and travel planning. Users can now search for local stores selling specific products, complete with stock information, making last-minute shopping easier. Additionally, Maps provides insights on the best and worst times to visit locations, reports on weather disruptions, and allows users to report transit delays. For EV drivers, Maps offers trip planning with charging stops and trailer-friendly routes.
Officials are warning of potential gridlock and air traffic delays as millions of people are expected to travel to view the total solar eclipse on April 8, sweeping through North America. The Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Highway Administration are urging travelers to plan ahead, arrive early, and stay put to avoid congestion. Past eclipses have caused hours of road congestion and increased air traffic, prompting warnings for travelers to prepare for potential delays and disruptions. Some cities have declared a state of emergency and are encouraging locals to stock up on supplies ahead of the event.
Expedia is aiming to use AI to shift the balance of power in the travel industry by getting users to start their trip planning on its site instead of using external search engines like Google. The company plans to leverage its vast library of flight and hotel information, along with user preferences, to recommend travel destinations and streamline the planning process. Expedia's goal is to bring more direct traffic to its site and increase revenue by cutting out the middleman. While personalized travel planning is not yet available, Expedia has already implemented AI in various aspects of its services, including customer service features and property descriptions.
Google Flights is introducing a new feature that leverages historical trend data to help travelers determine the cheapest time to book flights. The insights will inform users whether it's better to book now or wait for lower prices, based on past price trends for their chosen destination and selected dates. The feature complements existing insights on price comparisons and offers price tracking and a price guarantee badge for select itineraries. Google also shared flight booking trends for 2023, revealing that average prices for Christmas flights have been lowest 71 days before departure, and there is no longer a "sweet spot" for U.S. trips to Europe.
According to Delta Air Lines's data, London is the most-searched for international destination for summer travel this year, followed by Cancun, Paris, Rome, and Tokyo. Delta will fly 20 percent more seats to London than it did in the summer of 2019 to accommodate the increased demand. Despite high airfare prices, travelers are still planning getaways, with 82 percent of people surveyed by Tripadvisor planning to travel in the next three months. To save money, travelers should plan strategically, with Paris hotel prices lowest during the week of June 19 to June 25 and London most affordable from Aug. 28 through Sept. 3.
Google Flights and Delta Air Lines have released lists of the most popular domestic and international travel destinations for summer 2023. The top domestic destinations include Orlando, New York, and Las Vegas, while London, Cancun, and Paris are among the most popular international destinations. Airlines are hiring thousands of new workers to combat staffing shortages caused by a surge in post-pandemic travel.
Traveling with a child on the autism spectrum can be overwhelming, but with proper planning and preparation, it can be a successful and enjoyable experience. Many families with children on the spectrum avoid travel altogether, but resources such as Certified Autism Travel Professionals (CATP) and autism-friendly destinations are making travel more accessible. Tips for successful travel with a child on the spectrum include introducing the concept of travel slowly, familiarizing the child with what to expect, and tailoring the trip to meet the child's individual needs.
Expedia has launched a new ChatGPT-powered trip-planning feature in its mobile app, allowing customers to begin an open-ended conversation with the bot to get recommendations on destinations, sites, accommodations, and transportation. The tool is in the beta testing phase and will be tweaked as the company assesses how well it works and gains feedback from users. Expedia already uses AI and machine learning throughout its platform in myriad ways, including assisting in travel options, booking, pricing, and trip changes.
Expedia has launched a new "conversational trip planning" feature in its iOS app, powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT. The beta testing phase feature allows users to have conversations with the program and get recommendations on where to go, where to stay, what to do and more. Hotels mentioned during the conversation are automatically saved in the app, making it easier for users to start choosing dates, checking availability, and adding on flights, cars or activities. The feature is currently only available in English and for iOS users with an Expedia account.
Expedia has launched a new chatbot tool powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT, allowing users to get recommendations on destinations, hotels, transportation, and activities. The tool is available in the Expedia app and automatically favorites hotels it recommends in the conversation. Expedia's ChatGPT integration is one of many that have launched in the wake of OpenAI's API for third party developers. The feature is currently in beta and is globally available on iOS.
