it will travel

Understanding the Difference Between Will Travel and Will Be Travelling

Zackary Hooper

Ever puzzled over the slight but significant difference between “will travel” and “will be travelling”? You’re not alone! As a fellow travel enthusiast, I’ve also stumbled upon this linguistic conundrum .

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In fact, during my research as a travel writer for ‘Have Blog Will Travel’, I found these two English language constructs intriguing yet often misunderstood. This article is designed to demystify these terms by highlighting their specific meanings , key differences , and appropriate usage .

Ready? Let’s dive right in and help smooth out your future travel conversations !

Key Takeaways

• “Will Travel” refers to a future action that will happen after a specific time, while “Will Be Travelling” indicates ongoing or continuous movement .
• “Will Travel” is used when referring to a specific point in time , while “Will Be Travelling” implies an ongoing or continuous period of movement .
• “Will Travel” implies a planned trip , while “Will Be Travelling” suggests ongoing movement and exploration .

Explanation of “Will Travel”

“Will Travel” refers to a future action after a specific time, such as “I will travel to New York next week.”

Refers to a future action that will happen after a specific time

“Will travel” is a term often used in written English that precisely outlines an intention to go on a journey after a specific point in time . We deploy these words when we’ve settled on our plans , such as embarking on a trip or vacation after crucial events like entrance exams or at the completion of certain jobs.

Moreover, the phrase “will travel” doesn’t just pinpoint our future actions; it also signifies the start of an exciting expedition . For instance, I have decided to explore French landscapes by keeping my gap year aside for this purpose.

In this case, saying “I will travel to France next year,” demonstrates my resolve and scheduled plan for taking that voyage once my dedicated time arrives .

Indicates a planned or scheduled trip

When we say “will travel,” it means that we have a specific trip planned or scheduled for the future. It could be a vacation, a business trip, or any other journey that has been arranged in advance.

This phrase indicates our intention to go somewhere at a particular point in time. For example, I will travel to New York next week for a conference. The important thing is that there is an organized plan in place and we are committed to making the trip happen.

It’s worth noting that “will travel” does not imply continuous movement or ongoing journey like “will be travelling.” Instead, it highlights a single event or period of time when we will be away from our current location.

Whether it’s just for a few days or several weeks, this phrase emphasizes the fact that we have made concrete plans and set aside the necessary time to embark on our intended adventure.

Explanation of “Will Be Travelling”

“Will be travelling” refers to a future action that will be in progress at a specific time, indicating ongoing or continuous movement or journey.

Refers to a future action that will be in progress at a specific time

When we say that an action “ will be in progress at a specific time ,” we are talking about something that will happen in the future and continue for a period of time. This could be ongoing movement or a journey that will take place at a particular moment.

It implies that the action will not be completed instantly, but rather it will be happening continuously during the stated timeframe. For example, someone might say, “I will be traveling around Europe for three months.” In this case, the person is indicating their intention to embark on a journey and spend an extended period of time exploring different places within Europe .

The use of “will be traveling” emphasizes the ongoing nature of their movement throughout those three months.

Indicates ongoing or continuous movement or journey

I love the feeling of being on the move, experiencing new places and adventures. When it comes to future travel plans, there’s a distinction between saying “I will travel” and “I will be travelling.” The phrase “will be travelling” indicates ongoing or continuous movement or journey .

It implies that I’ll be in motion for an extended period rather than at a specific point in time. For example, if I say, “I will be travelling around Europe for three months.” it means I’ll be exploring different countries and cities over those three months without a fixed schedule .

This is perfect for those who want flexibility and spontaneity in their travels, allowing them to indulge in the joy of continuous exploration.

Differences between “Will Travel” and “Will Be Travelling”

“Will Travel” is used when referring to a specific point in time, while “Will Be Travelling” indicates an ongoing or continuous period of movement.

“Will Travel” is for a specific point in time, while “Will Be Travelling” is for a continuous period

I love planning trips and exploring new places, so understanding the difference between “Will Travel” and “Will Be Travelling” is important to me. When I say “Will Travel,” it means that I have a specific point in time in mind for my trip.

It could be next week, next month, or even next year. On the other hand, when I say “Will Be Travelling,” it suggests that my journey will be continuous over a period of time. Whether it’s a couple of weeks or several months, I’ll be on the move exploring different destinations and experiencing new adventures .

Both phrases convey excitement and anticipation for future travel experiences , just with different durations in mind.

“Will Travel” implies a planned trip, while “Will Be Travelling” implies ongoing movement

When we say “Will Travel,” it suggests that there is a specific trip or journey planned in the future . This means that there is a set date or time when the travel will take place. On the other hand, when we use the phrase “Will Be Travelling,” it indicates ongoing movement or continuous journeying .

It implies that there will be no fixed endpoint , and the movement will continue for an extended period of time . So while “Will Travel” refers to a scheduled trip, “Will Be Travelling” implies ongoing movement and exploration .

Examples and Usage

– “I will travel to New York next week.”

– “I will be travelling around Europe for three months.”

“I will travel to New York next week.”

Next week, I’ll be embarking on a journey to New York City . This trip has been planned and scheduled for some time now, and I can’t wait to explore the bustling streets, iconic landmarks , and vibrant culture of the Big Apple.

It will be an exciting adventure filled with new experiences , delicious food, and unforgettable memories. From strolling through Central Park to visiting Times Square at night, there’s so much to see and do in this incredible city.

I’m eagerly counting down the days until my departure as I prepare for an amazing travel experience in New York City next week.

“I will be travelling around Europe for three months.”

I have exciting plans to travel around Europe for three months! During this time, I will be exploring different countries, immersing myself in new cultures, and experiencing all that Europe has to offer.

From the historic streets of Rome to the picturesque canals of Amsterdam, I can’t wait to embark on this incredible journey. Whether it’s tasting delicious cuisines, visiting famous landmarks, or simply wandering through charming cobblestone streets, my European adventure promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Conclusion on Will Travel and Will Be Travelling

Understanding the difference between “Will Travel” and “Will Be Travelling” is essential for clear communication in future tense . By recognizing that “Will Travel” refers to a specific point in time, while “Will Be Travelling” implies ongoing movement , we can effectively convey our plans and intentions.

Use these distinctions to express your upcoming adventures with accuracy and precision. Happy travels!

FAQs on Will Travel and Will Be Travelling

1. what is the difference between “will travel” and “will be travelling”.

The main difference is that “will travel” refers to a future action that will happen at a specific time, while “will be travelling” indicates an ongoing or continuous action in the future.

2. When should I use “will travel”?

You should use “will travel” when talking about a planned trip or journey that will take place at a specific time in the future.

3. When should I use “will be travelling”?

You should use “will be travelling” when referring to an upcoming trip or journey that will continue for some time, often indicating movement from one place to another.

4. Can these phrases be used interchangeably?

No, these phrases cannot be used interchangeably as they convey different meanings related to the timing and duration of the travel action.

About the author

I’ve been fortunate to visit over fifty countries, each journey leaving a unique footprint on my life’s map. From bustling cities to serene nature trails, I’ve immersed myself in different cultures and experiences, constantly broadening my understanding of the world. On this site, I share my travel stories, tips, and insights, hoping to inspire others to embark on their own journeys. Join me as we uncover the beauty of our planet, one adventure at a time. Please reach out here if you need to get in touch.

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I will travel, I’m traveling, or I will be traveling?

Take your grammar to the next level!

Our question of the day is about the future in English: should we say:

• I will be traveling next month.
• I am traveling next month.
• I will travel next month.

The two best options are “I will be traveling next month” and “I am traveling next month.”

We could also say “I’m going to travel next month.” Three correct ways for talking about future plans.

Why DON’T we say “I will travel next month”?

We tend not to use will + verb for established plans. We use this structure more for promises, offers, and decisions made at the moment of speaking:

• “I’ll give you a ride.” (that’s an offer)
• “I’ll have a large coffee.” (that’s a decision made in the moment)

So, what are you doing tomorrow? I’ll be making more videos!

Go ahead and write your own examples using one of these 3 future forms.

Learn more: Present continuous for future plans

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Will travel vs. will be travelling

• Thread starter Muhammad Khatab
• Start date Jun 27, 2019

Muhammad Khatab

Senior member.

• Jun 27, 2019

In an hour's time, I ... home on the train. a. will travel b. will be travelling This is an exam question, but I think it's a foolish one since both choices are correct. There is only a subtle difference: "Will travel" refers to the starting point which is "after an hour from now". "Will be travelling" suggests that the action will be in progress. Am I right?! Thanks!!  

Franco-filly

I think your logic would work if the verb used referred to an action that can be completed quickly, for example "In an hour's time I will switch the heating on" but "travelling" takes place over a period of time so need the continuous form.  

Basically yes, you are right, although at an exam you will be expected to choose the clearer answer b. In addition, if a. was meant, the sentence would certainly be worded differently, e.g. I am taking the train home in an hour. Cross-posted with FF and I agree...  

Okay thank you so much, guys!  

What about this example: By this time next year we ... into our new house. will be moving will have moved I think "will have moved" is better, but "will be moving" works well too. What are your opinions?  

" By this time next year" suggests that whatever action is being spoken about will have been completed. I would only use "will be moving into..." if you are talking about a specific day e.g. On the 1st of July next year...  

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With the decline in air travel from the pandemic, the classic road trip has become more popular in America.

Here are 8 ways travel will change after the pandemic

What will travel look like in the future? We asked the experts.

With coronavirus cases continuing to spike in America and abroad, travelers with a United States passport remain grounded. To date, just nine countries are open to Americans without restrictions. If Belarus, Serbia , Zambia or any of the other six countries on that list aren’t in the cards, then travelers itching to get on an international flight will have to wait.

How long is still unknown. Elizabeth Becker, author of Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism , notes that the pandemic “ decimated ” the $8 trillion global travel industry overnight. “Those essential pillars of 21st-century global travel—open borders, open destinations, and visa-free travel—won’t return in the short term or even medium term,” she says.

What does that mean for the future of travel? Despite the turbulence, experts are seeing blue skies. Bruce Poon Tip, author of Unlearn: The Year the Earth Stood Still and the founder of travel company G Adventures , says not only will we travel again, we’ll do it better. “I still believe travel can be the biggest distributor of wealth the world has ever seen,” he says. “This pause gives us the gift of time to consider how we can travel more consciously.”

From a renewed commitment to sustainable tourism to creative ways to globetrot from home, here’s how travel authors, bloggers, and podcasters are navigating.

( Related: These 25 destinations inspire future journeys and remind us why we love to travel .)

Sustainability will be a driving force

Tourists crowd St. ​Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy, in 2013. In the wake of the pandemic, experts predict there will be more interest in visiting less-crowded places.

One silver lining of the pandemic? Consumers are doubling down on sustainability . Becker predicts travelers will take on the role of “concerned citizens” demanding responsible travel policies. The industry will respond with active measures to prioritize a healthy world over profit margins. “Don’t be surprised if countries mandate ‘fly-free days’ and other measures to control climate change,” she says.

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Take action: Reduce your carbon footprint by purchasing offsets with companies such as Cool Effect and by staying at certified green hotels. Check sites like Book Different , which rates accommodations for eco-friendliness.

( Related: Here’s how Greece is rethinking its once bustling tourism industry .)

Our journeys will become more inclusive

The Black Lives Matter movement has brought the issue of representation to light in all industries, including travel. That’s overdue, says Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon . The award-winning journalist and TV host says she hopes the industry is moving toward meaningful change but worries that any change may be short-lived. “When the pandemic is past and the hashtags are no longer trending, will industry gatekeepers still be eager to attract, cater to, and celebrate travelers of color?” she writes in an email. “I’m cautiously optimistic but not completely convinced.”

Black Travel Alliance ’s Martinique Lewis feels the industry is moving in the right direction and remains hopeful. She notes that companies are addressing the needs of diverse customers and says it’s about time. “For the first time they are considering what a trans female goes through not only when choosing what bathroom to go in at a restaurant, but when she checks into a hotel and her license shows a different person,” says Lewis. “Now plus-size travelers wanting to surf and scuba but can’t because the lack of wetsuits in their size are being acknowledged. Now blind travelers who still want to experience tours and extreme sports while on holiday are thought of.”

Take action: Visit one of the nearly 200 living history museums in the U.S., where historic interpreters portray figures from the past. They shed light on painful issues (such as racism in America) and hidden narratives (such as those of people of color, whose stories have been suppressed).

Small communities will play a bigger role

Travelers can make a difference in small towns that were already struggling economically before the pandemic. Caz Makepeace of Y Travel Blog says she and her family have always traveled slowly to lesser-known areas, “rather than racing through destinations.” Now she’s supporting these places by patronizing local businesses and donating to nonprofits.

Kate Newman of Travel for Difference suggests travelers focus on “ global south ” or developing countries that depend on tourism. “We need to diversify our locations to avoid mass tourism and focus on the places that really need it,” she says. “Seeing so many communities suffer during COVID-19 has brought [this issue] to light.”

Take action: Turn to sustainable tourism educational and advocacy nonprofit Impact Travel Alliance to learn how to empower locals and protect the environment.

We’ll seek quality over quantity

High-mileage travelers are putting more thought into their bucket lists. “COVID-19 has allowed me to rethink how and why I travel,” says Erick Prince of The Minority Nomad . “It’s given me the freedom to explore travel projects for passion instead of the paycheck.” Rather than focusing on paid gigs, the blogger, who lives in Thailand, says he’ll be embarking on a self-funded project to highlight off-the-beaten-track provinces in his adopted country.

Eulanda Osagiede, of Hey Dip Your Toes In , is putting the breaks on international trips, citing travel as a privilege many take for granted. “Privilege comes in many forms, and the act of recognizing our travel-related ones have called us to think about traveling more intentionally and less often—if ever the world begins to look similar to its pre-pandemic days.”

Take action: Check the Transformational Travel Council for resources and recommendations on operators who can help organize meaningful journeys.

The road trip will kick into high gear

For many, road trips may be the only feasible option for travel right now, and frequent fliers like Gabby Beckford of Packs Light are revving up. Driving across state lines can be just as exciting as flying across international borders; it’s about the mindset. “Road-tripping has shown me that the core of travel—curiosity, exposure to newness, and wonder—[is] a perspective, not a destination,” she says.

Take action : Plan a coronavirus-conscious trip to Colorado, home to superlative stargazing sites —and what may become the world’s largest Dark Sky reserve.

Some high-mileage travelers say they plan to focus on meaningful experiences at out-of-the-way areas, like Chimney Tops in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park .

( Related: Check out these eight epic drives across America .)

Travel advisors will become essential

Conde Nast Traveller sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman predicts a shift to booking travel through agents and established operators, noting their invaluable knowledge and industry connections. “I think what 2020 has shown and taught us is the expertise and financial protection of booking through a travel agent often outweighs the amount you pay in commission,” she says. Additionally, she hopes that consumers will look to agents who specialize in the environment. “Those who care about where they send their customers can intuitively cut through greenwash and really ensure every link in the supply chain is an honorable one,” she says.

Related: Amazing architecture you can see from your car window

Take action: Find a travel advisor : The American Society of Travel Advisors maintains a database that allows travelers to search by destination, type of journey (such as eco-tourism or genealogy), and cohort (such as LGBTQ+ travelers). Virtuoso , a network of advisors specializing in luxury travel, can help with good deals, convenient itineraries, and tailored experiences.

We’ll appreciate staying closer to home

Some are discovering the benefits of travel even at home. Blogger Jessie Festa of Epicure & Culture and Jessie on a Journey normally travels internationally once a month. These days, online cultural cooking classes, games, and virtual experiences are helping her “to keep the spirit of travel alive by considering the feelings that travel elicits,” she says. Exchanging postcards with her extended travel community is another “beautiful way to ‘experience’ travel again, safely,” she adds.

“When we compare everything to being locked up indefinitely in our respective towers, a walk to the park can feel like travel,” says blogger Chris Mitchell of Traveling Mitch . “Now people are willing to see the magic in a meal on a patio at a restaurant down the street.”

Take action: Get outside, says the Norwegian concept “ friluftsliv ,” an idea of outdoor living that promises to make the pandemic’s colder months more bearable.

( Related: Here’s why walking is the ideal pandemic activity .)

Planning trips will become joyful again

Although some people are making the best of being grounded, this difficult period is reminding them that travel is important for boosting mental health and personal growth. There’s research to back it up. A 2013 survey of 483 U.S. adults found that travel improves empathy, energy, attention, and focus. Planning a trip is just as effective—a 2014 Cornell study showed that looking forward to travel substantially increases happiness, more than anticipating buying material goods.

Joanna Penn can attest to the healing benefits of both. The U.K.-based author and podcaster behind The Creative Penn and Books and Travel normally travels to research her books. “For me my writing life is all about what I learned when I travel,” she said in a recent podcast, “the ideas that come from being someplace new.” Her future trips will include walking the Camino de Santiago in 2022. Studying maps and determining a route makes her feel like she’s working toward a real goal. “I can expand my comfort zone without too much stress, especially if I accept that things might get canceled,” she said.

Take action: Plan a trip now, with inspiration from this essay on why travel should be considered an essential human activity.

Related Topics

• CORONAVIRUS
• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
• MENTAL HEALTH
• VOLUNTOURISM

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What is the future of travel?

All aboard! After the pandemic upended life and leisure as we know it, travel is roaring back. The industry is set to make a full recovery by the end of 2024, after losing 75 percent of its value in 2020. Much of this has been so-called “revenge travel,” or people embarking on international or bucket list trips that were delayed by the pandemic. But domestic travel is recovering quickly too and is set to represent 70 percent of travel spending by 2030.

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on travel and tourism

Margaux Constantin is a partner in McKinsey’s Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, and Vik Krishnan is a senior partner in the Bay Area office.

We’ve done a deep dive into the latest travel trends and how industry players can adjust accordingly in The state of travel and hospitality 2024 report. Check out the highlights below, as well as McKinsey’s insights on AI in travel, mass tourism, and much more.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure Practice .

Who are today’s travelers, and what do they want?

In February and March 2024, McKinsey surveyed  more than 5,000 people in China, Germany, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, and the United States who had taken at least one leisure trip in the past two years. Here are six highlights from the results of that survey:

• Travel is a top priority, especially for younger generations. Sixty-six percent of travelers we surveyed said they are more interested in travel now than before the COVID-19 pandemic. And millennials and Gen Zers  are traveling more and spending a higher share of their income on travel than their older counterparts.
• Younger travelers are keen to travel abroad. Gen Zers and millennials who responded to our survey are planning nearly an equal number of international and domestic trips in 2024. Older generations are planning to take twice as many domestic trips.
• Baby boomers are willing to spend if they see value. Baby boomers still account for 20 percent of overall travel spending. They are willing to spend on comforts such as nonstop flights. On the other hand, they are more willing to forego experiences to save money while traveling, unlike Gen Zers who will cut all other expense categories before they trim experiences.
• Travel is a collective story, with destinations as the backdrop. Travelers both want to hear other travelers’ stories and share their own. Ninety-two percent of younger travelers were inspired by social media in some shape or form for their last trip.
• What travelers want depends on where they’re from. Sixty-nine percent of Chinese respondents said they plan to visit a famous sight on their next trip, versus the 20 percent of European and North American travelers who said the same. Respondents living in the UAE also favor iconic destinations, as well as shopping and outdoor activities.

Learn more about McKinsey’s  Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure Practice .

What are the top three travel industry trends today?

Travel is back, but traveler flows are shifting. McKinsey has isolated three major themes for industry stakeholders to consider as they look ahead.

• The bulk of travel spending is close to home. Seventy-five percent of travel spend is domestic. The United States is currently the world’s largest domestic travel market, but China is set to overtake it in the coming years. Stakeholders should make sure they capture the full potential of domestic travelers before turning their attention abroad.
• New markets such as India, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe are growing sources of outbound tourism. Indians’ travel spending is expected to grow 9 percent per year between now and 2030; annual growth projections for Southeast Asians and Eastern Europeans are both around 7 percent.
• Unexpected destinations are finding new ways to lure travelers and establish themselves alongside enduring favorites. Rwanda, for example, has capitalized on sustainable tourism by limiting gorilla trekking permits and directing revenue toward conservation.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

For a more in-depth look at these trends, check out McKinsey’s State of travel and hospitality 2024   report .

How will AI change how people travel?

In the 1950s, the introduction of the jet engine dramatically reduced travel times, changing the way people traveled forever. Now AI is upending the industry  in a similarly fundamental way. Industry players down to individual travelers are using advances in generative AI (gen AI) , machine learning , and deep learning  to reimagine what it means to plan, book, and experience travel. “It’s quite clear,” says McKinsey partner Vik Krishnan , “that gen AI significantly eases  the process of travel discovery.”

For travel companies, the task now is to rethink how they interact with customers, develop products and services, and manage operations in the age of AI. According to estimates by McKinsey Digital, companies that holistically address digital and analytics opportunities have the potential to see an earnings improvement of up to 25 percent .

McKinsey and Skift Research interviewed executives from 17 companies across five types of travel business. Here are three key findings on how travel companies can reckon with emerging technologies, drawn from the resulting report The promise of travel in the age of AI :

• Segmentation. Companies can use AI to create hyperspecific customer segments to guide how they interact with and serve customers. Segmentation can be based on a single macro characteristic (such as business versus leisure), or it can be so specific as to relate to just one customer.
• Surprise and delight. In the travel context, gen AI could take the form of digital assistants that interact with customers throughout their journeys, providing personalized trip itineraries and tailored recommendations and helping to resolve unexpected disruptions.
• Equipping workers better. AI tools can free up frontline workers’ time, allowing them to focus more on personal customer interactions. These tools can also shorten the training time for new hires and quickly upskill  the existing workforce.

AI is important, yes. But, according to Ella Alkalay Schreiber, general manager (GM) of fintech at Hopper, “The actual challenge is to understand the data, ask the right questions, read prediction versus actual, and do this in a timely manner. The actual challenge is the human thinking, the common sense .”

How is mass tourism changing travel?

More people are traveling than ever before. The most visited destinations are experiencing more concentrated flows of tourists ; 80 percent of travelers visit just 10 percent of the world’s tourist destinations. Mass tourism can encumber infrastructure, frustrate locals, and even harm the attractions that visitors came to see in the first place.

Tourism stakeholders can collectively look for better ways to handle visitor flows before they become overwhelming. Destinations should remain alert to early warning signs about high tourism concentration and work to maximize the benefits of tourism, while minimizing its negative impacts.

Destinations should remain alert to early warning signs about high tourism concentration and work to maximize the benefits of tourism, while minimizing its negative impacts.

For one thing, destinations should understand their carrying capacity of tourists—that means the specific number of visitors a destination can accommodate before harm is caused to its physical, economic, or sociocultural environment. Shutting down tourism once the carrying capacity is reached isn’t always possible—or advisable. Rather, destinations should focus on increasing carrying capacity to enable more growth.

Next, destinations should assess their readiness to handle mass tourism and choose funding sources and mechanisms that can address its impacts. Implementing permitting systems for individual attractions can help manage capacity and mitigate harm. Proceeds from tourism can be reinvested into local communities to ensure that residents are not solely responsible for repairing the wear and tear caused by visitors.

After risks and funding sources have been identified, destinations can prepare for growing tourist volumes in the following ways:

• Build and equip a tourism-ready workforce to deliver positive tourism experiences.
• Use data (gathered from governments, businesses, social media platforms, and other sources) to manage visitor flows.
• Be deliberate about which tourist segments to attract (business travelers, sports fans, party groups, et cetera), and tailor offerings and communications accordingly.
• Distribute visitor footfall across different areas, nudging tourists to visit less-trafficked locations, and during different times, promoting off-season travel.
• Be prepared for sudden, unexpected fluctuations triggered by viral social media and cultural trends.
• Preserve cultural and natural heritage. Engage locals, especially indigenous people, to find the balance between preservation and tourism.

How can the travel sector accelerate the net-zero transition?

Global warming is getting worse, and the travel sector contributes up to 11 percent of total carbon emissions. Many consumers are aware that travel is part of the problem, but they’re reticent to give up their trips: travel activity is expected to soar by 85 percent  from 2016 to 2030. Instead, they’re increasing pressure on companies in the travel sector to achieve net zero . It’s a tall order: the range of decarbonization technologies in the market is limited, and what’s available is expensive.

But decarbonization doesn’t have to be a loss-leading proposition. Here are four steps  travel companies can take toward decarbonization that can potentially create value:

• Identify and sequence decarbonization initiatives. Awareness of decarbonization levers is one thing; implementation is quite another. One useful tool to help develop an implementation plan is the marginal abatement cost curve pathway framework, which provides a cost-benefit analysis of individual decarbonization levers and phasing plans.
• Partner to accelerate decarbonization of business travel. Many organizations will reduce their business travel, which accounts for 30 percent of all travel spend. This represents an opportunity for travel companies to partner with corporate clients on decarbonization. Travel companies can support their partners in achieving their decarbonization goals by nudging corporate users to make more sustainable choices, while making reservations and providing data to help partners track their emissions.
• Close the ‘say–do’ gap among leisure travelers. One McKinsey survey indicates that 40 percent of travelers globally say they are willing to pay at least 2 percent more for carbon-neutral flights. But Skift’s latest consumer survey reveals that only 14 percent  of travelers said they actually paid more for sustainable travel options. Travel companies can help close this gap by making sustainable options more visible during booking and using behavioral science to encourage travelers to make sustainable purchases.
• Build new sustainable travel options for the future. The travel sector can proactively pioneer sustainable new products and services. Green business building will require companies to create special initiatives, led by teams empowered to experiment without the pressure of being immediately profitable.

What’s the future of air travel?

Air travel is becoming more seasonal, as leisure travel’s increasing share of the market creates more pronounced summer peaks. Airlines have responded by shifting their schedules to operate more routes at greater frequency during peak periods. But airlines have run into turbulence when adjusting to the new reality. Meeting summer demand means buying more aircraft and hiring more crew; come winter, these resources go unutilized, which lowers productivity . But when airlines don’t run more flights in the summer, they leave a lot of money on the table.

How can airlines respond to seasonality? Here are three approaches :

• Mitigate winter weakness by employing conventional pricing and revenue management techniques, as well as creative pricing approaches (including, for example, monitoring and quickly seizing on sudden travel demand spikes, such as those created by a period of unexpectedly sunny weather).
• Adapt to seasonality by moving crew training sessions to off-peak periods, encouraging employee holiday taking during trough months, and offering workers seasonal contracts. Airlines can also explore outsourcing of crew, aircraft, maintenance, and even insurance.
• Leverage summer strengths, ensuring that commercial contracts reflect summer’s higher margins.

How is the luxury travel space evolving?

Quickly. Luxury travelers are not who you might expect: many are under the age of 60 and not necessarily from Europe or the United States. Perhaps even more surprisingly, they are not all millionaires: 35 percent of luxury-travel spending is by travelers with net worths between $100,000 and $1 million. Members of this group are known as aspirational luxury travelers, and they have their own set of preferences. They might be willing to spend big on one aspect of their trip—a special meal or a single flight upgrade—but not on every travel component. They prefer visibly branded luxury and pay close attention to loyalty program points and benefits .

The luxury-hospitality space is projected to grow faster than any other segment, at 6 percent per year  through 2025. And competition for luxury hotels is intensifying too: customers now have the option of renting luxurious villas with staff, or booking nonluxury hotels with luxury accoutrements such as rainfall showerheads and mattress toppers.

Another critical evolution is that the modern consumer, in the luxury space and elsewhere, values experiences over tangible things (exhibit).

Luxury properties may see more return from investing in a culture of excellence—powered by staff who anticipate customer needs, exceed expectations, create cherished memories, and make it all feel seamless—than in marble floors and gold-plated bath fixtures. Here are a few ways luxury properties can foster a culture of excellence :

• Leaders should assume the role of chief culture officer. GMs of luxury properties should lead by example to help nurture a healthy and happy staff culture and listen and respond to staff concerns.
• Hire for personalities, not resumes. “You can teach someone how to set a table,” said one GM we interviewed, “but you can’t teach a positive disposition.”
• Celebrate and reward employees. Best-in-class service is about treating customers with generosity and care. Leaders in the service sector can model this behavior by treating employees similarly.
• Create a truly distinctive customer experience . McKinsey research has shown that the top factor influencing customer loyalty in the lodging sector is “an experience worth paying more for”—not the product. Train staff to focus on tiny details as well as major needs to deliver true personalization.

What’s the latest in travel loyalty programs?

Loyalty programs are big business . They’ve evolved past being simply ways to boost sales or strengthen customer relationships; now, for many travel companies, they are profit centers in their own right. One major development was that travel companies realized they could sell loyalty points in bulk to corporate partners, who in turn offered the points to their customers as rewards. In 2019, United’s MileagePlus loyalty program sold $3.8 billion worth of miles to third parties, which accounted for 12 percent of the airline’s total revenue for that year. In 2022, American Airlines’ loyalty program brought in $3.1 billion in revenue, and Marriott’s brought in $2.7 billion.

But as this transition has happened, travel players have shifted focus away from the original purpose of these programs. Travel companies are seeing these loyalty programs primarily as revenue generators, rather than ways to improve customer experiences . As a result, loyalty program members have become increasingly disloyal. Recent loyalty surveys conducted by McKinsey revealed a steep decline in the likelihood that a customer would recommend airline, hotel, and cruise line loyalty programs to a friend. The same surveys also found that airline loyalty programs are driving fewer customer behavior changes than they used to.

So how can travel brands win customers’ loyalty back? Here are three steps to consider:

• Put experience at the core of loyalty programs. According to our 2023 McKinsey Travel Loyalty Survey , American respondents said they feel more loyal to Amazon than to the top six travel players combined, despite the absence of any traditional loyalty program. One of the reasons for Amazon’s success may be the frictionless experience it provides customers. Companies should strive to design loyalty programs around experiential benefits that make travelers feel special and seamlessly integrate customer experiences between desktop, mobile, and physical locations.
• Use data to offer personalization  to members. Travel brands have had access to customer data for a long time. But many have yet to deploy it for maximum value. Companies can use personalization to tailor both experiences and offers for loyalty members; our research has shown that 78 percent  of consumers are more likely to make a repeat purchase when offered a personalized experience.
• Rethink partnerships. Traditionally, travel companies have partnered with banks to offer cobranded credit cards. But many credit card brands now offer their own, self-branded travel rewards ecosystems. These types of partnerships may have diminishing returns in the future. When rethinking partnerships, travel brands should seek to build richer connections with customers, while boosting engagement. Uber’s partnership with Marriott, for example, gives users the option to link the brands’ loyalty programs, tapping into two large customer bases and providing more convenient travel experiences.

In a changing travel ecosystem, travel brands will need to ask themselves some hard questions if they want to earn back their customers’ loyalty.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure Practice . And check out travel-related job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced include:

• “ Updating perceptions about today’s luxury traveler ,” May 29, 2024, Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann
• “ The way we travel now ,” May 29, 2024, Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann
• “ Destination readiness: Preparing for the tourist flows of tomorrow ,” May 29, 2024, Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann
• “ How the world’s best hotels deliver exceptional customer experience ,” March 18, 2024, Ryan Mann , Ellen Scully, Matthew Straus, and Jillian Tellez Holub
• “ How airlines can handle busier summers—and comparatively quiet winters ,” January 8, 2024, Jaap Bouwer, Ludwig Hausmann , Nina Lind , Christophe Verstreken, and Stavros Xanthopoulos
• “ Travel invented loyalty as we know it. Now it’s time for reinvention. ,” November 15, 2023, Lidiya Chapple, Clay Cowan, Ellen Scully, and Jillian Tellez Holub
• “ What AI means for travel—now and in the future ,” November 2, 2023, Alex Cosmas  and Vik Krishnan
• “ The promise of travel in the age of AI ,” September 27, 2023, Susann Almasi, Alex Cosmas , Sam Cowan, and Ben Ellencweig
• “ The future of tourism: Bridging the labor gap enhancing customer experience ,” August 1, 2023, Urs Binggeli, Zi Chen, Steffen Köpke, and Jackey Yu
• “ Hotels in the 2030s: Perspectives from Accor’s C-suite ,” July 27, 2023, Aurélia Bettati
• “ Tourism in the metaverse: Can travel go virtual? ,” May 4, 2023, Margaux Constantin , Giuseppe Genovese, Kashiff Munawar, and Rebecca Stone
• “ Three innovations to solve hotel staffing shortages ,” April 3, 2023, Ryan Mann , Esteban Ramirez, and Matthew Straus
• “ Accelerating the transition to net-zero travel ,” September 20, 2022, Danielle Bozarth , Olivier Cheret, Vik Krishnan , Mackenzie Murphy, and Jules Seeley
• “ The six secrets of profitable airlines ,” June 28, 2022, Jaap Bouwer, Alex Dichter , Vik Krishnan , and Steve Saxon
• “ How to ‘ACE’ hospitality recruitment ,” June 23, 2022, Margaux Constantin , Steffen Köpke, and Joost Krämer
• “ Opportunities for industry leaders as new travelers take to the skies ,” April 5, 2022, Mishal Ahmad, Frederik Franz, Tomas Nauclér, and Daniel Riefer
• “ Rebooting customer experience to bring back the magic of travel ,” September 21, 2021, Vik Krishnan , Kevin Neher, Maurice Obeid , Ellen Scully, and Jules Seeley

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What kind of holidays will we take when we can travel again?

As we emerge from this torpor, we’ll be craving health-enhancing experiences, restorative immersions in nature, spirit-lifting exercise in the open air and safe escapes for quality time with our nearest and dearest. We’ll need to transition to venturing back into the wider world at a new, slower pace. But we might not want to stray so far from home at first – minimising the amount of time we spend in airports or on planes.

Without a functioning crystal ball or professional qualifications as a psychic or psychoanalyst, my take – as a sustainable luxury travel expert – is from the perspective of both an optimistic idealist and a solemn realist. I think it’s safe to assume that demand will initially be greater than supply. Reports say searches for holidays in Spain for next January are up by almost 2,000 per cent – but it’s clear, we’ll never return to the old version of ‘normal’.

Read our article on when will flights resume in the UK

When we can travel again – whether that is weeks or months away – many airlines will still be grounded indefinitely, if not bankrupted. Travel insurance policies could be more limited (always play it safe and make bookings with a credit card and not a debit card). Wanting to know our escapes are underwritten and won’t fall through is a given. Traditionally that meant making sure they’re ATOL- and/or ABTA-protected if they’re package holidays: but these non-profit organisations' coffers won’t have much left to give. We’ll likely require health certificates and need to jump through more hoops for visas – if our desired destination even allows visitors. In short, high-quality travel will be more complicated, restricted and more expensive. It breaks my heart to write that.

You probably hoped for an article steering you to a bounty of bargains awaiting us after this travel-barren time. But, as a sustainability enthusiast proposing what a New World Order might look like, I’m also confident we’ll emerge from this more conscious, conscientious and sensitive to the health of people and planet, and we’ll be ready to help the world heal. Yes, the travel industry has bounced back from crises before – but never has the entire globe been forced to stop entirely like this. After 9/11, flights were down, year on year, by 30 per cent for the rest of September. The current slowdown is on an incomparable scale. A few days ago, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) maintained that a pause should be put on all non-essential international travel ‘indefinitely’. How long will the uncertainty last? Who knows. But whatever happens, we’re going to feel the after-effects for a long time.

I know this isn’t music to anyone’s ears, so let’s look at the positives: overtourism has been turned upside down. Marine life is frolicking in Venice’s clear-watered canals, and empty overly trodden paths to World Heritage Sites are sprouting wildflowers. We can take a leaf from Bhutan’s book: its ‘low-volume, high-value’ policy helped the country thrive through a less-is-more approach to tourism – and that is the model much of tourism will now follow. Ask yourself why you always loved to travel in the past. Now ask yourself why you’ll want to travel as we come out of this.

Time has slowed down. A year ago, it was the most precious thing in many of our lives, and because leisure time was at such a premium we savoured it most on our sojourns. Now, time away will need to really feel worth leaving home for. But pleasures await, I promise, as we look forward to planning our next holidays , we'll find joy in aiming to be a better traveller post-lockdown , and appreciating the memories in full afterwards.

Keeping it safe and simple with staycations

We’ve all been forced to stop and look around at what’s right in front of us – and, luckily for us all, the United Kingdom has culture, coastline, conservation parks and countryside aplenty. Where we might have been compelled to travel to other shores in search of sunshine, the new UK travel quarantine rules may be a blocker for many. Plus due to climate change the weather has become fairly unpredictable and unseasonable everywhere – there's no sunny guarantee so why not give Britain our undivided attention with a staycation ?

The convenience of serviced private villas and luxury hotels

The race is on to reserve the best exclusive-use cottages and villas once travel resumes. All the better if they’re fully serviced and all you need can be brought to you. Avoiding mingling with strangers will be especially appealing for guests in an older age-bracket and those with health issues. One imagines the reputable luxury hotel brands known for their highest standards of health and safety and service may be the most appealing – especially when managed by renowned resort operators. Sorry Airbnb, your digs won’t be so enticing in the short term – unless someone launches a formal hygiene accreditation.

A heightened fear of flying

Spending time in airports isn’t appealing until a confirmation of vaccines or cures are on the horizon. We’ll want more space on flights, with less folks breathing on us, which may mean the layouts of airports and planes will have to be reconfigured. Mandatory self-service testing at airports identifying medical conditions will be de rigueur. There will be an increase in demand for private travel, be it by car or jet. I’m not saying I don’t instantly go weak at the knees thinking about sipping wine in Tuscany or picking at tapas in Barcelona, but many must agree that hopping on short-haul flights so regularly had become too habitual. When I do travel again it will have to feel worth it for all that faff. Which may mean less travel, with our wanderings more considered, cautious and carefully planned, but we will crave next-level adventures more than ever.

Deferred gratification

Instead of hopping on a low-cost flight for the sake of it, we’ll spend more time planning, prepping and squeezing the most out of the anticipation. Once-in-a-lifetime holidays will become exactly that again. It’s the anticipation of heading off on holiday, more than the experience of having had the trip itself, that releases the endorphins that lift our mood. Dr Jeroen Nawijn at the Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport in Breda University in the Netherlands published a study indicating that we derive most of our happiness from the expectation of an upcoming escapade. So imagine if you’ve invested time in making it extra sustainable? That buzz is going to be even greater, surely.

Travel with purpose

We’ll be all the more judicious about who we give our money to, in the hope that our trips help communities heal after this hiatus. Conservation has been in jeopardy without revenue from tourists. We’ll want to support hotels, such as those represented by the Long Run , which also provide revenue for much-needed cultural and environmental preservation. Singita’s safari lodges have a ripple effect, which includes empowering women and girls through its Safaris with a Purpose, from its new-look Singita Sabora Tented Camp in Tanzania, a black rhino project, to its Dian Fossey experiences at Singita Kwitonda Lodge in Rwanda. Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp in Kenya is a safari lodge that doesn’t just approach conservation the right way; it has set a benchmark with its ‘theory of change’ scheme. Calvin Cottar created the Cottar’s Wildlife Conservation Trust with this framework to lay out its manifesto of how it's helping the local Maasai people benefit from tourism, boosting biodiversity and fostering wildlife conservation. Those are the type of hosts we should be seeking out and supporting.

Read our glossary for sustainable travel

Be careful what you wish for…

In Out of Africa , Karen Blixen famously said, ‘When the gods want to punish you, they answer your prayers.’ Eco advocates espousing the need for us to minimise our impact on the planet spent a lot of last year fretting over carbon emissions and shaming the jet set. As someone who recognises the vital role tourism plays in economies everywhere and the development of less well-off communities, I didn’t think we should stop flying entirely. We just needed to boost awareness and be more judicious of how and where we travel and to whom we give our money. If you think about the power booking a future holiday could have in helping rehabilitation, when we seek value for money, we need to also think of values for money.

Read our article on how to reduce your carbon footprint when flying

Keep the rewilding going

After isolation and confinement, we’ll all want to immerse ourselves in fresh air and wilderness – without having to traverse vast continents. Alladale in Scotland is a swathe of land being rewilded thanks to the efforts of The European Nature Trust ( TENT ). Spending time in nature is good for mental health and stress relief, physical wellness and development in childhood – so much so the Scottish NHS had been prescribing time in nature long before any of this happened. Founder of TENT, Paul Lister created the Alladale reserve 50 miles north of Inverness, after acquiring the land in 2003. He points out that less than four per cent of charitable giving focuses on environmental and wildlife-related causes. In Romania, TENT is aiming to create Europe’s largest forested protected area in the Carpathian Mountains, and it hopes this will become the Yellowstone Park of Europe… What we’ll all need is vitamin N – nourishment from nature – and lots of it.

Wellness, fitness and health enhancement

And finally, it’s a given that many of us will want and need immunity-boosting escapes for preventative or restorative reasons. When restrictions loosen, have these articles bookmarked:

The best spas in the world

The best spa holidays for fitness

The best spas in the USA

Until we can start travelling, stay safe and be kind to eachother.

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Fourth of July travel period kicks off at SEA

SEATTLE - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is prepared for high passenger volumes during the Fourth of July travel period at airports nationwide including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). With single day records being set recently for the number of passenger screened at airports nationwide, TSA is advising air travelers to arrive at the airport early and prepared for every step of the travel process. 

TSA nationally expects to screen more than 28 million people between Friday, June 28 through Monday, July 8. This is a 5.4% increase over 2023 Independence Day holiday travel volumes. Locally, TSA projects it will screen more than 725,000 people at SEA during the same 11-day period.

TSA anticipates the peak travel day will be Sunday, July 7, when the agency expects to screen more than 3 million individuals at 434 airports. Locally, TSA at SEA expects to screen nearly 74,000 people today, making it perhaps the busiest day of the Fourth of July holiday travel period and potentially the busiest day ever at for TSA locally. TSA staffs to meet its wait time standards, which are 10 minutes and under in TSA PreCheck® lanes and 30 minutes and under in standard screening lanes.

High travel volumes and busy security checkpoints have become the norm lately. Twelve of the agencies Top 15 busiest travel days nationally have occurred since mid-May.

At SEA, TSA had its second and third busiest days ever in the past week. On Sunday, June 23, 2024, TSA at SEA screened more than 72,900 people, which ranks second overall; on Friday, June 21, 2024, TSA at SEA had its third busiest day ever when more than 72,700 people were screened.

The busiest times at the SEA checkpoints daily are 5 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The single busiest hour for TSA at SEA is 9 a.m., which is the time when those departing on the late morning flights are coming through the security checkpoint.

The busiest days of the week at SEA during the summer months are Thursdays through Mondays. Regardless of your flight departure time or day of the week, this summer all travelers - no matter at what airport - will need to arrive early and prepared for every step of the air travel experience.

“We have been anticipating the arrival of the Fourth of July travel period and planning our security operations to ensure that we are prepared for the surge in travelers who will be coming to the airport. TSA officers will be on the job to ensure travelers have a smooth trip through SEA,” said TSA Federal Security Director for Washington Greg Hawko. “We are asking travelers to be good partners with TSA and ensure that they are prepared for the screening process. Please don’t bring prohibited items in your carry-on luggage and allow plenty of time for every step of the travel process. We look forward to making good on our plans to deliver top notch security in the most efficient manner.”

Final advice from TSA Here are some tips to help all travelers have a smooth trip through the security checkpoint at any airport:

Arrive at the airport early and prepared. Allow ample time to park, navigate to the terminal, check luggage and proceed through the TSA security screening checkpoint. Keep in mind that most flights board 30 - 45 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Be prepared for any scenario. In the security checkpoint, have your photo identification and boarding pass ready. This will keep you from slowing down the screening process for you and everyone behind you. Listen to directions provided by TSA officers. The advisements are specific to the type of screening you will experience. The information given will make your screening experience quicker and smoother. Pack smart. Always start with an empty bag to ensure you don’t inadvertently bring prohibited items to the security checkpoint. Place electronics larger than a cell phone and travel size liquids at the top of your carry-on so they can be easily accessed if you are required to remove them. Also, be sure that all liquids are 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less if transporting them through the security checkpoint. Get assistance prior to traveling . Ensure that carry-ons do not contain prohibited items since they slow down the security screening process. To determine whether an item is allowed or prohibited in carry-on luggage, download the MyTSA app and use the “What Can I Bring?” feature. Another option is to snap a picture of an item and send it to @AskTSA on Twitter or Facebook Messenger for real-time assistance. Travelers can also send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872). ###

Key travel tips you need to know — whether you’re a first-time or frequent traveler

Editor's Note

Travel demand is on fire.

The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen a record number of passengers this summer. According to the TSA, seven of the 10 busiest days for screening passengers occurred in the past month alone.

As millions of travelers take trips by plane , cruise ship or car , we've gathered some essential travel tips on how best to book and enjoy your journeys.

Whether you're an occasional road-tripper or a frequent globe-trotter, these TPG-backed top travel tips can help you avoid unnecessary headaches when you spend time away from home.

How to find travel deals

Flexibility is key when it comes to finding cheap airfare any time of year. Changing your arrival or departure date by a single day can save you hundreds of dollars on airfare. If you don't mind altering your family's plans slightly, consider booking travel directly on major holidays like the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas for cheaper prices and thinner airport crowds.

One of TPG's favorite tools for finding deals is Google Flights . You can use the search field to find the cheapest (or best) flights. Google will also give you a historical view of past price ranges, and it will even send you email alerts if fares jump or drop on specific routes you've selected.

It also has some fun tools for finding a cheap destination. By clicking the "Explore" button on the sidebar and entering your departure airport, Google Flights will give you a map or list of the most wallet-friendly destinations.

However, Google isn't the only place to find deals: TPG publishes regular deal alerts. You can sign up for alerts on X and subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest deals news.

Don't sleep on mileage awards, either. If you've been hoarding miles since the beginning of the pandemic, it's time to spend them. Cash prices are high, so it can be a good time to burn those miles.

No matter how much you think you know about redeeming miles for flights , there are always new tips and tricks for turning those earnings into dream trips. Turn to TPG for guidance on sweet spots for redemptions. Sites like ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures) supply additional redemption ideas or even business-class upgrade inventory.

You may even want to consult a travel agent to get access to special deals that aren't available anywhere else. Travel agents can sometimes get extra perks at hotels or even cheaper business-class airfare to your dream destination.

Be your own best advocate

Because there are still air traffic controller shortages and there's little room for error in the system these days, travelers have to be their own best advocates.

There are ways to get ahead of any possible travel nightmares.

First, be smart when booking. Try to find a nonstop flight rather than one with connections, even if it costs a little more. You'll eliminate the risk of missing connections and lessen the chance of an airline misplacing your luggage during a transfer.

You could also take one of the first flights of the day, as those are least likely to face afternoon thunderstorms and most likely to depart on time. We've even compiled five reasons to book the first flight of the day with all the data.

Related: Your flight is canceled or delayed — here's what you should do next

Download your airline's mobile app to keep track of potential flight delays in real time. The airline app is a secret weapon in case things go wrong. Not only will you know when boarding starts, but you'll also learn of any delays first. Some airlines even allow you to rebook yourself in the app.

If your flight is canceled, you'll want to beat everyone else on your flight who is also looking to get rebooked.

We recommend heading to the customer service desk (or lounge desk if you have access). If there's a delay, you could also get on the phone with the airline or contact them via social media . Sometimes, an airline's representative on X will help you faster than a phone or in-person agent can. You have to use every tool at your disposal when things go south.

Many airlines now have live chat capabilities to help navigate delays and cancellations.

I always have an alternate plan (or two) in the back of my mind in case a flight gets canceled or delayed. I also look to see what other airlines are flying the route I'm booked in case something goes awry. This way, I'll know what to ask for if I need to be rebooked.

Also, save all the receipts for the expenses you incur during delays or cancellations. You'll want excellent documentation in case of meltdowns like the one Southwest Airlines passengers experienced during the 2022 holiday season .

If you're stuck at an airport for an extended period, seek out your airport's secret quiet spaces for a brief escape from the travel chaos.

Get Global Entry and/or TSA PreCheck

One of our favorite ways to speed through the airport and avoid those summertime megalines is via Trusted Traveler programs like TSA PreCheck and Global Entry .

Essentially, the government prescreens you for security, saving you a bit of time during your travels. You'll need to apply ahead of time and pay a fee. The great news is that many credit cards will give you a statement credit for these fees. TSA PreCheck is a $78 application fee for five years, and Global Entry is $100.

Related: Ways to get Global Entry, TSA PreCheck and/or Clear for free

TSA PreCheck allows you to speed through airport security without removing your shoes, laptops or liquids. With Global Entry , you can breeze through customs when you return from an international trip.

If you have the time, it makes sense to go for Global Entry rather than simply TSA PreCheck . Global Entry requires an interview with Customs and Border Patrol ahead of time, but once you're approved, TSA PreCheck will be included.

One other hack to mention is Mobile Passport . You don't even need to be preapproved for the service, and it can speed you through customs at some airports.

Related: Here's what you need to know about Mobile Passport

Get Clear for the ultimate security trifecta

The other security tool we recommend you have in your travel toolbelt is Clear .

Related: Why you should get TSA PreCheck and Clear

The expedited security program allows you to bypass long security lines by using a separate lane at many airports. You'll approach a kiosk that confirms your identity via an iris scan or fingerprint. A Clear employee will then escort you to the front of the security screening line.

A Clear membership combined with TSA PreCheck will enable you to go to even shorter lines at some airports with designated Clear/PreCheck lines. Clear isn't perfect at all airports where it's very popular and there are now long lines (cough, Atlanta). However, it will still lead to shorter lines overall.

Related: Guide to using the Amex Platinum Clear benefit

Make copies of your important documents

Make digital and hard copies of all your important travel-related documents. Start by photographing your driver's license, your state ID and/or your passport.

You should have copies of your IDs in your phone's library in case you get separated from the actual document. Sometimes, it also helps in a pinch if you are asked for ID but didn't bring the hard copy. For example, I was recently asked for my ID to enter One Vanderbilt to have dinner at the new American Express Centurion Lounge in New York. The receptionist would have accepted a photograph of the ID if I didn't have the physical document.

TPG also recommends having an actual photocopy in a separate place. TPG editor Kristy Tolley said she stores a hard copy in a separate place from where she keeps her passport in case she loses a bag. "I also leave a copy of it at home if I'm traveling alone," she said.

Check expiration dates

If you aren't 100% certain of the expiration date of your passport and other travel documents, go check them now. Renewing passports takes time, and some countries require six months of future passport validity to allow entry. Remember that child passports expire every five years, which can sneak up on you.

Related: How and when to renew your passport

Double-checking the expiration dates for driver's licenses and state IDs is also a good idea. Remember that TSA checks the expiration dates on your documents when they screen you for security. Don't forget to check the expiration dates for your Trusted Traveler programs like Global Entry, Clear and TSA PreCheck, too. It can take a while to get a Global Entry interview appointment if you need one to renew.

No one wants to get to the front of the security line only to realize that the PreCheck mark is gone from their boarding pass.

Finally, check the entry requirements if you are traveling internationally. Some countries require visas that you must acquire before arrival.

Consider travel protection

When booking your travel, try to use a credit card that offers some built-in travel protection . Many credit cards, including TPG favorites like The Platinum Card® from American Express , offer this when you use those cards to purchase your airfare and similar travel.

Related: Best credit cards for trip delays and cancellations

If the coverage offered by your credit card isn't enough, you might also want to purchase travel insurance . These policies can sometimes go beyond trip cancellations to cover things like medical evacuations. Warning: Carefully read the fine print on any extra policy to ensure it covers the situations that matter the most to you.

Those who frequently travel abroad may want to consider purchasing an annual travel insurance policy instead of buying one on a trip-by-trip basis. Some TPG staffers purchase annual policies because of the cost savings for multiple trips. Some will find having an annual policy is easier than juggling separate policies or various credit card coverage terms and conditions.

Tips for your luggage

TPG has a ton of tips when it comes to luggage.

First and foremost, try to be on Team Carry-On whenever possible. If you don't check baggage, you are much less likely to become separated from it. Many of us at TPG refuse to check luggage except under extreme circumstances.

Of course, other folks with families or those embarking on long journeys may still want to check bags. If that's the case for you, you can still do many things to lessen the chance you get separated from your stuff. For example, make sure your luggage is in good working order, your contact information is attached and the bag is within the weight limits. You should get to the airport early (but not too early) to check your luggage and confirm it is tagged to the right destination or connection.

Related: Tips to keep the airline from losing your luggage

After recent baggage delays and luggage disasters , we strongly suggest you put Apple AirTags (or the Android equivalent ) into your luggage to track your items if they go missing .

If you check a bag, keep extra medicine or medical supplies in your carry-on bag in case your luggage goes missing or gets delayed. "As a diabetic, I keep a tiny emergency kit in my backpack with enough supplies to keep me going in an emergency," TPG writer Tanner Saunders said.

Former TPG credit card writer Ryan Smith also offered words of advice regarding luggage. "The last items you pack in your carry-on will be most accessible, so use this for your passport, ID, ticket, headphones or whatever else you need during the trip," he said. By making sure those items you'll use most are easiest to reach, you'll save yourself the hassle of having to dig around (or partially unpack) your bag to grab what you need.

Finally, be sure to get compensated if your bags are late or lost. Many airlines will give you points or even cash for delayed bags, and the government has rules on compensation if your bags are lost.

Staying safe on your journeys

From potentially getting robbed while on the road to experiencing bad weather or natural disasters while traveling, many scenarios could arise when you're away from home.

To mitigate those risks, pay attention to U.S. Department of State warnings about the destination you plan to visit. Also, check local sources for the latest news from that country or region for additional context. Although the State Department tends to err on the side of caution with its warnings, it's still best to be aware of what you may face during your trip.

Also, know the local number in case of emergencies. In many places, including Mexico and much of Europe, dialing 9-1-1 on your cellphone will connect you to emergency services like in the U.S. However, you should know the local emergency numbers of whichever country you visit.

Let people at home know your itinerary and stay in touch with them throughout your trip. If something goes amiss, at least someone will know where you're supposed to be or the last place you visited.

If you're arriving at night, contact your hotel or home-share host to ask about the best way to get there and the safest ways to travel at night in that area.

Also, be strategic about how you check into a hotel. Some solo travelers request two keycards to imply someone else is on the trip. Giving thought to the hotel room's security swing bar can also make sense; some travelers place a hand towel over it to make it harder to dislodge from the outside.

Some final tips

• For cruisers, TPG principal cruise writer Gene Sloan suggests arriving in port at least a day in advance (if not several days ahead of time). This will eliminate the risk of missing your ship's departure time and help you acclimate to the local time zone.
• When taking road trips to out-of-the-way destinations, go old school and bring paper maps or download offline maps from Google. Using a paper map or an offline version means you always have a way to navigate around your chosen destination, even if you lose cellular service.
• You should reserve airport parking ahead of time during peak travel times. Some airport parking areas fill up fast around holidays, so reserving your spot ahead of time will save you from wasting time looking for a space when you need to catch a flight. You can also sometimes save by booking online in advance, too.

Bottom line

Whether you're fresh to the world of traveling or a seasoned expert, you can always learn new tips to maximize your time away from home. The more research and preparation you do before your trip, the better your experience will be — especially if things go wrong, as they sometimes do.

Some of our favorite tools are deal alerts, Google Flights , sign-up bonuses and credit card rewards . Learn those tools and use them for better travel every time.

Remember that these days, when things go wrong, you have to be your own best advocate. For more travel tips and tricks, read the stories below.

Related reading:

• Your flight is delayed or canceled: Here's what to do next
• The best travel credit cards
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
• Here's how to get through airport security faster

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Traveling This Fall? Expect Cheaper Prices, ‘Seasonal Drift’ and, Yes, Chaos

By The New York Times Sept. 9, 2022

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After a haywire summer of flight cancellations and delays, travelers remain eager to roam, returning to familiar hot spots like New York, Europe and the Caribbean. Here’s what they can expect this season.

Flying has been maddeningly unpredictable . Airline and hotel prices remain high. And inflation has forced many people to cut back on appliances and new clothes. Delayed vacations, conventions and weddings have led to booked resorts and hotels, creating a sort of seasonal drift that has forced travelers to pay summer prices for fall trips.

Still, more than 60 percent of Americans said they plan to travel this fall, compared with 54 percent of respondents last year, according to TripAdvisor , the travel site, which surveyed 2,700 would-be travelers across six countries about their plans this season.

And 66 percent of those respondents said that they planned to spend more money traveling this fall than they did last year, said Brian Hoyt, a spokesman for TripAdvisor. “Travel is not going to be one of those things that they pull back on,” Mr. Hoyt said. “They’re still going to travel even knowing that they’re going to spend more than the year before.”

Some are willing to splurge on flights to Italy and Turks and Caicos and excursions like ATV tours of the Mojave Desert in Nevada . Others are paying to clean up beaches in Barcelona or help restore coral reefs in the Caribbean , vacations crafted as “nature positive tourism.”

How much will you spend if you travel this fall? It depends. Cruise deals are still plentiful, but hotel prices are stubbornly expensive. Airline tickets, while cheaper than this summer, are still higher than they were before the pandemic.

And don’t expect the cancellations and delays that infuriated travelers in recent months to stop anytime soon. “While things have improved since early summer, airline cancellations are still going to be a factor for fall travel,” said Eric Jones, co-founder of The Vacationer , an online travel guide.

What else can you expect this fall?

Airlines: Better, but by how much?

Cancellations. Lost luggage. Flight delays and endless waits for customer service. Even the official in charge of regulating civilian aviation in the United States hasn’t avoided the chaos. “Airlines need to step up their game,” said Pete Buttigieg , the U.S. transportation secretary, who faced multiple cancellations and delays this summer. Still, he’s optimistic that flying will improve this fall. “I do think that a better situation is within reach,” he said.

Airline executives, labor unions and industry analysts agree: Fall travel should be better than summer travel. They do not agree on how much better. But most concur that the issues that must be addressed, include: not enough staff, too many cancellations and delays, problems with refunds and terrible customer service.

On the question of whether airlines have enough staff, Airlines for America, a trade organization representing seven major U.S. carriers, says yes, they do. “This summer, carriers have proactively adjusted their staffing models to ensure they are adequately staffed for each flight,” a spokeswoman wrote in an email.

Union leaders agree that staffing is adequate, but only on “blue sky days,” the term Gary Peterson, the international vice president of the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents more than 70,000 airline workers, uses for those 24-hour periods when nature works in airlines’ favor. “But when weather hits, they don’t have enough reserves,” he said.

“I believe airlines have taken steps to make things better, but it’s fragile,” said Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-C. W. A., the largest flight attendants’ union. Even before the pandemic, staffing for roles ranging from pilot to wheelchair handler was stretched thin, she said. In order to minimize the ripple effect when something goes wrong, it’s critical to maintain staffing above the Federal Aviation Administration minimum, she added, something that has not happened for years.

A second concern: Have airlines stopped selling more flights than they can handle? Or will they continue with the pandemic trend of canceling flights that they should have never scheduled? Several analysts were optimistic that the airlines had learned from their mistakes. American Airlines, for example, recently slashed 16 percent of its November flights, according to Cirium, a travel analytics company. John Grant, a senior analyst for OAG, a travel data company, noted that cancellation rates were far lower in July and August than earlier in the year. Still, the delay rate has recently hovered around 23 percent, higher than prepandemic times or last summer, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking company.

The third issue: Will the refund, flight change and hotel voucher process get easier? Mr. Buttigieg is pushing forward several initiatives. One involves updating a federal policy guiding flight refunds. Under the current policy, airlines are supposed to reimburse passengers for flights that have been canceled or “significantly changed.” But carriers have long exploited ambiguity around the term. The proposal, which he will revisit in November, codifies the conditions under which refunds must be paid.

Last week, the Department of Transportation launched a dashboard that Mr. Buttigieg called “a tool for transparency,” outlining the services that each airline has committed to provide when flights are altered for reasons within their control.

Some analysts said that these measures are weak, particularly in contrast with Europe, where airlines must pay travelers — on top of refunds — for certain types of cancellations. Recently, more than 30 state attorneys general blasted the Department of Transportation for failing to keep up with “escalating issues” and argued that they should take over enforcement of consumer protection laws affecting travelers. Some lawmakers have also suggested that airlines should be fined for treating passengers poorly, given the billions of dollars in government pandemic aid they’ve received.

Finally, there is the matter of customer service: Will Thanksgiving week be filled with nightmarish stories of unanswered calls to alter a flight or locate a lost bag? On this front, labor representatives and industry analysts agree: It’s unlikely to get better soon. Airlines see customer service as an area to slash, not grow, costs. — Heather Murphy

Prices: Cheaper, just not prepandemic cheap

Excepting foliage destinations and convention cities, fall has historically been a value-seeker’s season. Across the industry, many prices this year will follow the same pattern. But inflation and other pandemic-related effects mean some deals are weaker.

Consider airfare. The typical seasonal decline between summer and fall fares, according to the booking app Hopper , is 10 to 15 percent. This year it is 37 percent, falling to $238 for an average domestic round-trip ticket. But that doesn’t mean fares are cheaper, only that the difference between summer and fall fares is much greater.

“Fall 2022 looks very different, and the main reason is how high airfare got this summer,” said Hayley Berg, the lead economist at Hopper, noting that summer airfares were more than double 2019 rates.

Airlines are also maintaining capacity cuts this fall to control costs, according to Helane Becker, a research analyst with the investment banking firm Cowen. “The lowest fares I’ve seen for fall are $59 one way and there are only a few seats available at that rate, up from $39 or $49 in the past,” Ms. Becker said.

On the hotel front, travelers should expect to pay close to prepandemic rates this fall. The steady rebound of business travel is bolstering big cities and may diminish fall deals in urban areas. In the latest figures available, average daily rates nationally have climbed year-to-date to roughly $147 in July, compared with $132 in July 2019, or nearly equal to prepandemic prices when adjusted for inflation, according to the hotel benchmarking firm STR. The firm is forecasting a continued recovery for hotels, with occupancy up five points this year over last.

Popular resort destinations may be more expensive, too. Most of October remains high season at the Camden Harbour Inn in coastal Camden, Maine. But its hefty rate hike this year of more than 20 percent to an average of $688 a night in part reflects higher wages, Covid absences, and increased expenses for everything from electricity to linens.

Don’t expect any steals in vacation rentals either. AirDNA , which analyzes the short-term rental market, has average fall rates outpacing fall 2021. The average October rental domestically was recently about $258 a night compared with $243 in 2021 and $195 in 2019.

Rental car rates, however, will be better, but still much higher than they were before the pandemic. This fall, average rentals are 18 percent cheaper than in summer, according to Autoslash , a free service that monitors car rental bookings and flags them for rebooking when rates drop. But prices are still 52 percent higher for the period over 2019, thanks to fleet downsizing.

“We don’t expect rental rates to come back down to 2019 levels anytime soon, if ever,” said Jonathan Weinberg, the founder of Autoslash.

Still, fall remains a good time to ride the value of a strong dollar , trading now at parity with the euro. Among new international low-cost carriers, Norse Atlantic Airways recently started service from New York’s Kennedy International Airport to Berlin starting at $132 one way.

Generally speaking, if you don’t like rates now, don’t expect them to improve. Pandemic uncertainty — including concerns over new variants and trip cancellations — have abbreviated booking windows to often just a few weeks out, meaning rates could rise dramatically in the coming month. — Elaine Glusac

Environment: ‘Nature-positive tourism’

The popularity of ecotourism has hardly waned since the term rose to prominence a generation ago. But a new framing has emerged that puts a bigger onus on the travel industry to examine its complicated relationship with the natural world. Say hello to “nature positive tourism.”

The idea is “a long overdue reinvention of ecotourism,” said Justin Francis, who advises the British government on nature and business and serves as chief executive of Responsible Travel , a travel company based in Britain.

“Ecotourism was about ‘take only photos, leave only footprints’ — it was basically ‘leave no trace,’” said Mr. Francis, adding that the concept applied only to nature-based tourism, not to things like city breaks or cruises.

“But when we look at the problems that we as an industry create for nature, we realize that they come from all types of tourism,” he said. “It’s not just a question of a few ecolodges getting a bit more ambitious. If we’re to be nature positive, then every part of the tourism industry needs to step up.”

Scientists warn that we are in the middle of a mass extinction event. Between 1970 and 2016, the planet lost nearly 70 percent of its populations of wild mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Today, roughly one million species are threatened with extinction .

Tourism contributes to all the major drivers of species loss: Developers fill in marshlands to build resorts (land use change); tourists trample fragile coral reefs (overuse); cruise ships dump waste (pollution); visitors inadvertently carry the seeds of nonnative plants into nature reserves (invasive species); and flying emits greenhouse gases (climate change).

Mr. Francis said that travel companies must understand their negative impacts. But, he added, travel — perhaps more than other sectors of the economy — can do a huge amount to support nature.

Jim Sano, vice president for travel, tourism and conservation at World Wildlife Fund, noted that tourism is the biggest market-based source of funding for protected areas around the world. He described projects in Mexico, Nepal and Namibia in which WWF has worked with travel industry partners to craft tourist experiences that support wildlife protection while also generating income for residents. “It’s creating a situation where wildlife is more valuable alive than dead,” he said.

So far, more than two dozen travel companies — including Exodus Travels, Journeys With Purpose and the Adventure People, as well as the airline Virgin Atlantic — have signed a “nature positive pledge” as part of the Get Nature Positive campaign, which Mr. Francis coleads as part of his work with the British government.

Several companies offer experiences that allow guests to enjoy nature while also protecting it. Rewilding Europe Travel offers wolf-tracking tours in Italy, bison-trekking trips in Romania and other experiences that support the “rewilding” of European landscapes. Responsible Travel, Mr. Francis’ company, sells trips that allow guests to support sea turtle conservation in Greece or spearfish nonnative fish off the coast of Belize.

Shorter experiences are also an option. Barcelona-based Authenticitys , which has signed the “nature positive pledge,” offers one- to three-hour “social impact experiences” in 40 cities in Europe and Latin America. They classify about two dozen of those activities as “nature positive.”

Elena Rodríguez Blanco, the founder of the company, said they initially wondered if people would pay to pick up trash on the beach in Barcelona (as part of a stand-up paddle boarding lesson), or to clean up a canal in Amsterdam (while taking a boat tour). But many guests have enjoyed their experiences so much that they have recommended similar activities that the company could offer in their own hometowns.

“That’s actually been a big part of our growth,” Ms. Rodríguez Blanco said. “It’s really rewarding.” — Paige McClanahan

Points: More deals, more people chasing them

After a frustrating summer, travelers trying to use mileage rewards this fall may find that their points go a long way — literally. Kyle Potter, the editor at Thrifty Traveler, a travel news website, said that when cash prices go up, it’s harder to use points or miles, as they’re either more expensive or less available. The inverse, he said, is also true: When flight prices decrease, as the travel booking platform Hopper predicts will happen to domestic flights this fall, it’s easier to use points.

“The summer was really tough, whether you were paying exorbitant cash prices or trying to put some points and miles to use and getting a whole lot of errors and empty dates,” Mr. Potter said.

But snagging deals may be more difficult as demand increases. According to a recent survey from Forbes Advisor , more than a quarter of Americans said they expected to pay for at least one trip using credit card rewards this year. And there’s clearly pent-up demand to spend points earned — and saved — during the pandemic. A spring 2021 survey from the personal finance site NerdWallet found that travel rewards credit-card holders had an average of nearly 65,000 points and miles banked.

Before booking a points redemption, you have to know when and where to look. Several airlines, like JetBlue Airways, typically offer flash sales in the fall, to entice travelers in a traditionally quieter season. While the cash deals are often tempting, the sales usually extend to reservations made with points, including on international flights.

A one-way flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Guayaquil, Ecuador, for instance, was priced at $100 or 4,600 TrueBlue points during the sale. TrueBlue is a revenue-based program, meaning the cost of award tickets is determined by the cash price of a ticket. After the sale, the price for that same route was $448, or 40,800 points.

Other carriers, such as Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines , regularly offer deals on short- and medium-haul flights. Delta’s SkyMiles are considered among the easiest to earn from its co-branded credit cards, ride-share apps, transfer partners and flights. Travelers looking for cheap, last-minute deals can find flights from New York to New Orleans, for instance, for as low as 11,000 miles round-trip.

But keep in mind that deals often come with restrictions like limited dates for your travel and what fare class you’ll be in (usually the lowest). For the New York to New Orleans flight, the low cost means you’ll get no miles for the trip or credit toward elite status, seats assigned after check-in and boarding last. A full-fare seat on the same flight costs 5,000 more miles.

To quickly find the best deals, travelers should look to fly from and arrive at a destination predominantly served by their preferred airline.

If United Airlines is your first choice, you may want to pick a United hub as your fall travel destination, such as Newark, Chicago, Washington-Dulles or San Francisco. Travelers can book award flights on partner airlines, too. In United’s case, travelers can book award tickets on Star Alliance carriers like Turkish Airlines or Lufthansa, which offers nonstop flights between the United States and Germany.

Using Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is one of the easiest ways to book flights on United Airlines, thanks to the Canadian carrier’s distance-based award chart , meaning that the number of points required to book an award is based on the distance between the origin and destination airport. Using British Airways’ Avios mileage program is one of the cheapest ways to fly short-haul domestic flights on American Airlines across the United States.

Mr. Potter recommends that travelers not tie their loyalty to an airline but to transferable points programs from credit card issuers. American Express Membership Rewards points can become, for instance, Marriott Bonvoy points, while Chase points can turn into Southwest points.

Travelers thinking ahead to winter 2022 and spring 2023 trips should start planning now, he said. “Now is this time to start coming up with a plan for how you want to get there,” Mr. Potter said, referring to travel destinations, “what points and miles you need to make that a possibility and start looking for those flights because they’re going to go fast.” — Victoria Walker

Destinations: ‘What’s old is new again’

Cities remain a go-to. So do tropical places like the Caribbean and Cancun.

In 2020, travelers avoided urban centers for beach towns and national parks, where it felt like a safer place to go, said Brian Hoyt of TripAdvisor.

But by last fall, Las Vegas, New York City, and Orlando had supplanted places like Key Largo, Key West and Atlantic City, which were the top three destinations for travelers in fall 2020, according to TripAdvisor.

The trend is continuing: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Orlando and New York are the five most booked destinations in the United States for fall, according to Hopper, a travel booking site. For international travelers, cities like San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cancun; Mexico City; Barcelona; and Rome are in the top 10, according to Hopper.

“What’s old is new again,” Mr. Hoyt said. “High-density population centers are back in vogue.”

But lower-key vacations are still a draw. Ocean City, N.J., a beach town of about 11 miles south of Atlantic City, was the top trending U.S. destination this fall based on the number of nights booked, according to Airbnb. That’s part of a growing trend to extend summer. There has been a surge of interest from visitors who flock to the eight miles of beach in September and October, when the summer crowds leave and the town hosts events like an antique car show and a huge block party and fireworks show , said Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Travelers remain eager to go to Europe, where demand for flights and hotel bookings is “on par” with 2019, said Kareem George, a travel adviser and the owner of Culture Traveler, a firm specializing in luxury trips.

“Italy is the standout,” Mr. George said, “which is not a surprise because Italy always is the standout.”

London, Paris, Munich, Copenhagen and Dublin were the top cities searched by people looking to travel between Sept. 6 and Nov. 15, according to Expedia.

The Amalfi coast in southern Italy and Santorini, a whitewashed Greek island in the Aegean Sea, are so popular this fall that travelers are struggling to find accommodations, said Charles Neville, a spokesman for Jayway , a boutique travel agency that specializes in European travel.

People are so eager to tour these destinations they are willing to spend $600 to $700 a night for accommodations that may not justify that amount, he said.

Mr. Neville said he is encouraging clients to book later in the fall when the weather is still pleasant and the crowds have abated, or to consider Sicily, Croatia and lesser known islands in Greece like Paros and Naxos. “Maybe that’s a way to have your Greek island vacation dreams come true without spending stupid amounts of money,” he said.

In the Americas, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Costa Rica are seeing more passengers book trips than they did in 2019, said Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights . The countries are easy to get to and airline tickets are generally cheap — round-trip fare from nearly anywhere in the United States to Colombia was selling for about $260 in August, he said.

“For a lot of folks, the trip they want to take as their first one back is fun, overseas, but not too far away,” Mr. Keyes said.

That sort of ease is what Silvia Sims, a retired sales manager who lives in suburban Detroit, said she and her three friends wanted when they began planning their fall trip last May. They settled on Jamaica, where Ms. Sims, 71, has traveled nearly a dozen times since the early 1980s but had not visited since April 2019.

“I’m going back to a place where I really love to visit and I feel safe,” she said. — Maria Cramer

Timing: ‘Seasonal drift’ takes hold

Budget travelers and the crowd-averse have long embraced the fall shoulder season, when airfares and lodging rates tended to drop and visitors could enjoy quieter hiking trails and fewer tourists around the Eiffel Tower.

But flexible work, climate change and high-season hassles have pushed more travelers into fall, effectively extending summer and narrowing the bargain window ahead of the winter holidays.

“I am managing hotels for the past 20 years and never seen such a rush on rooms,” said Henrik Muehle, the general manager of Flemings Mayfair in London, noting that rates are, in most cases, double 2019 prices. “Guests don’t seem bothered,” he added.

Lingering consequences of the pandemic have encouraged the shift. At Little Gem Resorts on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., the rise of fall bookings includes a surge of postponed weddings. Social events and business gatherings have picked up at the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Md., where September rates remain comparable to summer, averaging $850 to $900 a night, and won’t fall substantially until November, when they start at $340.

Thanks in part to flexible work policies, business has been so good at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole , in Jackson, Wyo., that the resort will forego its traditional three-week fall closure this year, and offer cycling and wolf-watching trips in Yellowstone National Park. “Guests are aspiring to be here when the crowds aren’t,” said Cory Carlson, the regional director of marketing for the resort.

Seasonal drift depends on location. Vrbo , the vacation home rental agency, said fall prices still drop as much as 25 percent compared with summer in some popular beach destinations.

In these climate-changing times, planning a trip around perfect weather seems futile. At Remote Lands , which specializes in Asia, bookings in Thailand in the traditional shoulder season, August through October, are up 25 percent.

“Prepandemic, the thought of a rain shower was something that clients would avoid and would shift their desired location or dates,” said Catherine Heald, the co-founder and chief executive of Remote Lands. “Now, clients understand that with climate change there is a chance that they may have blue skies throughout the stay and are ready and willing to travel.”

Other travelers continue to prioritize space and untrammeled access to nature, readily found in fall. In southern France, Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa will stay open this year from November to January, when temperatures are often more comfortable than summer, rather than closing as usual. Management plans to offer seasonal activities like truffle hunting.

“A lot of people are trying to experience the same thing at a much lower volume and without as many people around them,” said David Arraya, the general manager of Six Senses Ibiza off the coast of Spain, where the 2021 summer peak lasted to November.

Overtourism and climate-change impacts have disrupted tourism around Yosemite National Park in Northern California. Wildfires, the need for a reservation and fewer European visitors owing, in part, to a weak euro, have depressed summer numbers this year in Mariposa County, where the park is.

“Shoulder seasons are disappearing and peak seasons are not peak any longer,” said Jonathan Farrington, the executive director of Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau . “April through November is one season and December through March is shoulder season.”

He attributes the shift in part to younger people who visited the park during the pandemic and discovered its appeal in the calmer but still comfortable months, when tourism is more sustainable.

“If you have the ability to choose when to go outside of June, July and August,” Mr. Farrington added, “it’s the responsible thing to do.” — Elaine Glusac

Family travel: Saving money and going somewhere ‘easy’

In early October, Jess Field, her 9-year-old daughter and husband will spend four nights in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in a hotel with a balcony overlooking crashing waves. The luxury Hyatt hotel they booked goes for more than $1,000 a night, but it will not cost her anything; she will pay only the taxes on the family’s flights from Houston. This is because Ms. Field has a system for covering vacation costs with hotel and airline points, which she acquires by opening new credit cards with stellar welcome bonuses.

She is just one of many parents who will turn to points this fall. Last year, concerns about Covid were the primary reason that parents opted not to travel, according to several travel advisers. Now, as six-month-old babies are getting vaccinated, coronavirus cases are falling , restrictions are fading and inflation is driving up prices, money has become the main obstacle to booking trips, according to a study of 16,000 adults by Morning Consult , a market research company.

Ms. Field, who teaches a course on leveraging credit card offers, has found that families are eager to find creative ways to cover costs. A recent survey by Vacasa, a vacation rental site, reinforced this observation, finding that people with children were significantly more likely to have fall travel plans than people without.

“People want to travel, but they don’t have the budget and this allows them to have the best of both worlds,” Ms. Field said. In a recent week, around 180 students signed up for her Travel Hacking Mom course. This is more than she or her co-founders could recall enrolling during such a short period throughout the course’s four-year history.

Money concerns are not the only thing that has changed. Most children must now attend in-person school. This means less flexibility for travel. And yet, several travel agents said that they have noticed the pandemic has imbued parents with more of a you-only-live-once-and-it’s-OK-to-pull-my-kid-out-of-school-for-a-vacation way of thinking.

“There’s been a shift in mind-set,” said Amie O’Shaughnessy, the founder of Ciao Bambino!, a travel agency based in Sun Valley, Idaho.

As to the sorts of trips that families are planning this fall, Nadia Henry, the founder of Travel with Sparkle , an agency based in West Orange, N.J., said that interest in Europe, reunions and all-inclusive resorts continues to be strong.

Ms. Field has found that many families also crave a cruise. “Parents are tired and burned out and they want to go somewhere easy,” she said. She’s also picked up on excitement about Disney’s restarting certain fall events and allowing children to hug characters once again.

Gregg Kaminsky, a co-founder of R Family Vacations , based in Southampton, N.Y., observed that despite the passage of what opponents call “Don’t Say Gay” legislation in Florida, it’s still looking as if the state will be a popular fall destination for L.G.B.T.Q . families. One difference, he notes, is that some gay and trans parents seem to be more interested in group travel, something that reminds him of the 1990s when L.G.B.T.Q . people traveled in groups for safety.

Another influencing factor: Some parents are still working remotely. Among “high net-worth families” with small children, this has translated into interest in hiring a nanny who can hit the road at a moment’s notice, according to the Nanny Authority , a child care provider placement agency based in New York City.

As to where families stay, the pandemic seems to have pushed many parents and grandparents toward Airbnb and VRBO, said Seth Borko , a senior research analyst at Skift , a travel trade publication. Chekitan Dev, a marketing professor at Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration, said that vacation-home competition has prompted some hotel brands, such as Hilton , to finally make it easier to book connected rooms. — Heather Murphy

Cruises: More bargains and fewer Covid restrictions

Major cruise lines like Carnival , Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have dropped their vaccine requirements. As of Sept. 5, passengers leaving on Royal Caribbean International from the United States on certain cruises were allowed to provide their own Covid test results, instead of one from a health professional, according to the company, which has also dropped its vaccine requirements.

Lindblad Expeditions , which takes passengers to far-flung destinations like the Galápagos Islands and Antarctica, said it is keeping vaccine requirements in place but is no longer requiring booster shots.

MSC Cruises , which also dropped its vaccine requirement for residents of the United States, will no longer require tests for vaccinated passengers.

The changes came soon after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped a voluntary program through which cruises reported the vaccination status of passengers and crew and regular updates about case counts.

As a result of the looser restrictions, more passengers from Europe are flying into the United States to board cruises, said Rubén A. Rodríguez, president of MSC Cruises USA. “We’ve also seen more people from the U.S. branch out and book itineraries in the Mediterranean and elsewhere, now that international travel protocols are easier to manage,” he said in a statement.

It has been a boon for the cruise industry, which experienced two years of enormous losses because of the pandemic and a slow restart in June 2021.

Jeremy Clubb, founder of Rainforest Cruises , which specializes in exotic riverboat and small ship cruises, said he expects the company will surpass its 2019 sales total by at least 20 percent. The winter is looking especially promising, with the number of bookings for cruises up 60 percent compared with the same time last year, he said.

“It is clear that many people are growing noticeably less fearful of Covid and are eager to get traveling again,” Mr. Clubb said in an email.

Don Zingale, 76, said he and his wife are planning a 45-day cruise on Oceania Cruises from Barcelona to Rome to Miami in October. Mr. Zingale, a retired university executive based in Point Richmond, Calif., said he was “very unhappy” to see the company loosen restrictions around testing and vaccines. “Letting unvaccinated people on a ship filled with older people is not the smartest thing in the world,” he said.

Still, Mr. Zingale, who estimates that he spends 100 nights on cruises a year, said the new rules would not keep him from ships, where he often enjoys luxurious amenities for “bargain prices.”“The value outweighs the risks,” he said. “It is too fun.”

Deals are likely to abound throughout the season, said Colleen McDaniel, the editor in chief of Cruise Critic , a leading cruise review site. “You can cruise the Caribbean for less than $60 a night, or the Mexican Riviera for less than $80 a night,” she said. Before the pandemic, bargains on trips like that would have been under $100 a night, she said.

The aggressive discounts began in late spring and continued into the summer, as late bookings and a glut of cruise ships created a situation where ships were less than 100 percent full.

Travelers should take advantage of deals to take cruises to areas they might not have considered before, like Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine, or Halifax and St. John in Canada, Ms. McDaniel said. They are destinations with great dining, beautiful vistas and scenic mountain trails that nevertheless “sort of slip under the radar,” she said.

The discounts may not last as restrictions ease and bookings increase, however, said Ms. McDaniel. “We’re seeing more and more people getting on board ships,” she said. “People are really, really excited to get back to sailing.” — Maria Cramer

52 Places for a Changed World

The 2022 list highlights places around the globe where travelers can be part of the solution.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.

An earlier version of this article misstated Elena Rodríguez Blanco's title at the Barcelona-based Authenticitys company. She is the founder of the company, not a co-founder.

Come Sail Away

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Th ree-Year Cruise, Unraveled:  The Life at Sea cruise was supposed to be the ultimate bucket-list experience : 382 port calls over 1,095 days. Here’s why  those who signed up are seeking fraud charges  instead.

TikTok’s Favorite New ‘Reality Show’:  People on social media have turned the unwitting passengers of a nine-month world cruise  into  “cast members”  overnight.

Dipping Their Toes: Younger generations of travelers are venturing onto ships for the first time . Many are saving money.

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Summer Travel 2024: Record Air Travel, Fewer Cancellations, Better Airports, More Passenger Protections

Year-to-date flight cancellation rate is just 1.4% during a record-breaking summer travel season​​​​​

WASHINGTON – Despite record-breaking levels of air travel this year, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) numbers show that the flight cancellation rate for the first half of 2024 was just 1.4% – nearly the lowest rate in over a decade. The latest data from airlines reported to the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that weather continues to be the leading cause of flight cancellations.

On June 23, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 2.99 million individuals in a single day at U.S. airports – the most airline passengers the agency has screened in its history. TSA expects to screen more than 32 million individuals this Independence Day travel season, which is a 5.4% increase over last year. At the same time, airfares are down 6% over the last year and below pre-pandemic prices.

“This year’s record-breaking air travel is another good sign for our economy as more Americans take to the skies than ever before,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “To help avoid travel headaches, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic action to modernize airports and expand passenger protections for a smoother travel experience.” 

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $25 billion in U.S. airport infrastructure over five years. This unprecedented investment is not only improving runways and air traffic control towers but also adding gates and adding flight capacity, modernizing baggage systems, replacing passenger boarding bridges, reconfiguring security screening areas, improving safety, and more to finally deliver world-class airports in the U.S. and meet anticipated demand in the decades to come. Just this week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced $289 million in airport infrastructure grants in 40 states and an additional $1 billion in available funding to modernize airport terminals. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly 200 terminal projects are already under construction to modernize America’s airports and make air travel safer and smoother. 

The Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic action to improve airline passenger rights and oversight of the airline industry: 

• The rule makes clear that airline passengers are entitled to a refund when their flight is canceled or significantly changed and they no longer wish to take that flight or be rebooked, when their checked baggage is significantly delayed, or when extra services they paid for – like Wi-Fi – are not provided. The rule also requires refunds to be automatic, prompt, in the original form of payment, and in the full amount paid. Airlines must comply with the rule by late October.  
• Provisions of the final rule on airline refunds were fortified through the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that President Biden signed into law on May 16, 2024. 
• The rule creates a more competitive airline market by requiring airlines to disclose critical extra fees – like change fees and baggage fees – upfront to ensure consumers can better understand the true cost of air travel. The rule also bans “bait-and-switch” advertising tactics and requires airlines to clearly tell passengers upfront that a seat is included with the cost of their ticket. This rule is expected to save consumers over half a billion dollars every year.  
• Launched the flightrights.gov dashboard, after which all 10 major U.S. airlines guaranteed free rebooking and meals when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to through enforcement action.  
• Secured nearly $4 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.  
• Issued nearly $170 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations since President Biden took office. In comparison, between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
• Set up a system to expand the Department’s capacity to review air travel service complaints by partnering with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general , which will help hold airlines accountable and protect the rights of the traveling public.

President Biden blames overseas travel for disastrous debate: 'I nearly fell asleep on stage'

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday blamed jet lag from his recent travels overseas for his disastrous debate performance last week, even though he returned to the United States 12 days before taking the stage with former President Donald Trump.

Biden, facing immense pressure from Democrats following his poor debate showing, made the excuse while addressing donors at a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia outside Washington.

"I didn't have my best night," Biden told supporters. "I wasn't very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple of times, going through I don't how many times zones.

"I didn't listen to my staff. And then I came back and I nearly fell asleep on stage," Biden said, prompting laughs from some of the donors. “It’s not an excuse but an explanation."

Biden then apologized to supporters, saying he was sorry for his June 27 debate performance, but stressed it was “critical” to win the election against Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Biden's remarks could invite even more scrutiny over whether the 81-year-old president is up to the rigorous traveling, packed schedules and other demands of a second term in the White House.

Leading up to the debate, Biden spent six days at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland preparing with White House aides. He arrived there on the night of June 20 and left the morning of June 27 for Atlanta, the site of the debate.

Biden was in Italy from June 12 to 14 to attend the Group of Seven nations summit, returned back to the U.S. early in the morning June 15, and immediately took Air Force One to Los Angeles to attend a glitzy Hollywood fundraiser. Biden returned to the White House on June 16, made a quick stop at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home on June 18, and then went on to Camp David.

Biden was in France from June 5 to 9 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-day with allies and meet with French President  Emmanuel Macron .

Biden has vowed he's not bowing out of the race despite growing concerns from Democrats, including on Tuesday from the first Democrat in Congress to call for him to withdraw, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

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Travel tips for a Fourth of July that's set to break records

Luke Garrett

Airports around the United States are preparing for what could be the busiest Fourth of July travel season on record. The nation's roads are no different. Traffic could reach never-before-seen volumes over the Independence Day holiday.

“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a press release. “We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever.”  

Nearly 71 million people are expected to make trips for the Independence Day travel period, AAA predicts.

Here's what to know about traveling for the holiday this week.

The TSA sets a new record and readies for another

Last week, a record-breaking 2.99 million passengers went through U.S. airports in a single day, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The agency said it's expecting a new travel record this week.

At Philadelphia International Airport, Gerardo Spero, the TSA’s federal security director for the airport, is dealing with an 8% passenger increase this year and is cautioning travelers to give themselves extra time.

“The best advice that I can offer is to get to the airport well before your ticketed departure time,” Spero said in a news release . “Now more than ever it is vital to give yourself plenty of time to park or return a rental car, check in with your airline to check bags and prepare for the security checkpoint."

There's usually no need to panic when planes make emergency landings. Here's why

Spero also said travelers can help each other out by being "efficient" in the security lines: take off shoes and belts preemptively, empty your pockets into your carry-on, and grab a bin early.

Over at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — where travel volumes are up 5% — the TSA wants travelers to double-check their carry-on bags before they get to the airport.

“We are asking travelers to be good partners with TSA and ensure that they are prepared for the screening process," TSA Federal Security Director for Washington Greg Hawko said in a release . "Please don’t bring prohibited items in your carry-on luggage."

The busiest airport days are expected to be July 3, 7 and 8, according to flight website Hopper . The company projects Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver airports to be the ones with the most travelers.

This rise in summer air travel comes amid heightened attention on aircraft maker Boeing's quality control practices after a door plug blew out on a 737 Max jet in midair at the start of the year. Still, flying is the safest way to travel .

On the road

Nearly one in five Americans are set to drive more than 50 miles this Fourth of July travel season, according to an AAA forecast .

If you want to beat the traffic, drive early. INRIX, a transportation data provider, said driving on Monday should save travelers time. Any day after that, the best time to drive is before 10 a.m.

“Drivers in large metro areas can expect the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7, as they return,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX , said in a statement. “Road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal.” 

When driving on the wrong side of the road is the right way to speed up traffic

If you are preparing for a longer road trip with family and friends, AAA recommends running through this checklist: check kids' car seats, bring an emergency pack (first aid, jumper cables, snacks and water) and map the route.

At the pump, drivers can expect lower gas prices than last year with a gallon costing an average of $3.50. In 2023, gas cost $3.53 per gallon and in 2022, it cost nearly $5.

This year, the states with the most expensive gas are California ($4.80), Hawaii ($4.71), Washington ($4.21), Oregon ($4.07), Nevada ($4.04), Alaska ($3.90), Illinois ($3.88), Michigan ($3.70), Washington, D.C. ($3.66), and Indiana ($3.65).

Another cost to consider is tolls. Not all states have them, but check your route on Toll Guru to see how much change you might need on hand or how much money to have loaded on the E-ZPass.

The weather factor

High temperatures and a few thunderstorms are in the forecast for much of the country, according to AccuWeather . Both can cause travel delays.

The worst heat is expected in California.

Heat wave safety tips from the world's first chief heat officer

"It's going to be downright hot across the Southwest, especially in California and the Desert Southwest where record highs will be challenged," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joseph Bauer told the website.

The Southern Plains and Southeast regions are also expected to feel the heat over the Independence Day weekend with higher than average temperatures.

High temperatures can slow down travel. When temperatures get too high, railway tracks can start to bend — forcing trains to slow down or stop completely. And planes may face weight restrictions during severe heat.

Traveling during the morning or evening can help offset the risk of heat-related delays.

While much of the country will face high temperatures on the Fourth of July, the Northern Plains, Midwest and portions of the Northeast may see thunderstorms, according to AccuWeather.

Flight delays and cancellations

As a rule, airlines are required to offer travelers a refund or book them another flight if they cancel a passenger's flight. The rules surrounding flight delays are more complicated.

Airlines are ordered to give full refunds instead of vouchers and to stop hiding fees

This U.S. Department of Transportation chart offers a full list of specific airline cancellation and delay policies.

Travel Cost Calculator

Quick links, trip pricing calculator.

Travelmath provides an online cost calculator to help you determine the cost of driving between cities. You can use this data to figure out a budget for a road trip. The driving calculation is based on the average fuel efficiency of your vehicle, and you can change the gas mileage in mpg or L/100 km to match your exact make and model. Gas prices are automatically estimated based on current fluctuations, and again you can adjust these to fit your local gas station prices. Both U.S. and international units are available to make the calculations easier to use, and the output is given for both one-way and round trip travel routes.

Check the driving distance for your planned route, and see if the total driving time requires an overnight stay. If it's a long trip, you may want to research some hotels along the way . Or compare whether it's better to fly or drive to your destination.

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Europe’s pay-to-pee culture, explained

Paying for public toilets is the norm in Europe, but free bathroom advocates are bringing relief to tourists and locals.

Two summers ago, Pauline Frommer was at the train station in Dijon, France, when she had to run to the automatic bank machine for an emergency withdrawal. Her purchase couldn’t wait.

“ I needed a euro so I could pay for the toilet,” said the co-president and editorial director of Frommer Media , which publishes Frommer’s guidebooks.

As temperatures rise in Europe , travelers will need to stay hydrated to avoid heat-related illnesses. The more liquids they consume, the more bathroom breaks they will need. To avoid the wiggly dance, they should familiarize themselves with Europe’s restroom practices. While the mechanics are similar, the experience might cause culture shock.

“It is a surprise to have to pay,” Frommer said.

Public toilets are often affiliated with the local government or municipality. Visitors can find the facilities in train and bus stations, parks and gardens, and touristy areas. The restrooms can be traditional, with a row of stalls and bank of sinks, or a stand-alone cabin with a basin activated by a foot pedal. Look for the universal symbols: a pair of male and female figures. “WC,” the abbreviation for “water closet,” or some variation of “toilette” are also common.

During a recent trip to Europe , I found a slew of public toilets requiring a small fee — in the Berlin and Zurich train stations, by a cruise ticket booth on Lake Zurich, near the beach in Positano, Italy, and off the main square in Ravello, also on the Amalfi Coast.

“Europe has more public restrooms than we do,” said Kate Storm, a New York-based travel blogger who covers bathroom culture on her site, Our Escape Clause , “but you generally have to pay for them if they’re not owned by a private business.”

Pay-to-go facilities are typically cared for by an attendant or are self-cleaning. The fee, which helps cover maintenance, supplies and labor, is typically small change: 50 cents or a euro in a European Union country, one or two Swiss francs or 20 pence to a pound in the United Kingdom. Restrooms with additional amenities, such as changing rooms or showers, might charge a bit more.

Many destinations are moving toward a cash-free economy, and a growing number of lavatories accept credit cards. For the ones that don’t, you will need coins. Otherwise, you will get stuck on the wrong side of the turnstile or bathroom attendant.

Access fees for public toilets varies. Several cities have free facilities, such as London, which offers restrooms at National Rail stations ; Copenhagen , which eliminated the charge in 2013; and Paris , which has 400 “sanisettes,” or automatic public toilets. As of last year, Berlin has relaunched 100 renovated and complimentary toilets, according to the city’s official website.

Raymond Martin, managing director of the British Toilet Association , advocates for free and inclusive toilets. However, without government oversight, he said the toilets come with risks, such as a lack of safety, sanitation and functional equipment.

“Unfortunately in this country, like many countries, we have some miscreants … people who just can’t see anything bright and shiny,” he said. “So things start to get broken.”

Businesses adopt open-bathroom policies

Using a bathroom in a private establishment, such as a restaurant, cafe or shop, is trickier. Some businesses, especially in busy tourist areas, deter non-customers with “no public restroom” signs. However, cities facing a crush of visitors and a shortage of public lavatories are nudging businesses to open their restrooms to the general public.

A German initiative called Nette Toilette , or Nice Toilet, pays restaurants and stores a monthly subsidy of $64 to $107 in exchange for allowing people to use their toilets. The program, which launched in 2000 in the German town of Aalen, has expanded to more than 200 cities and 2,500-plus businesses in Germany and Switzerland. Participants place a red sticker with a smiley face in their storefront window. Visitors can also find the locations on the Nette Toilette app.

In London, the Community Toilet Scheme is a collection of businesses that grants people access to their bathrooms with no purse strings attached. The map includes such establishments as the Old Doctor Butler’s Head pub, Shaws Booksellers and a Nando’s, plus several UriLifts, a pop-up urinal.

Travel experts recommend shopping malls, restaurants and cafes that are so busy or big, they won’t notice you slipping inside to use the toilet. In his book “Europe Through the Back Door,” travel guru Rick Steves suggests dining spots with outdoor seating or fast-food joints. He said buying a token soda or fries is not necessary, though sometimes the bathroom door code is printed on the receipt.

Frommer has no qualms about sauntering into an establishment and asking to use their toilette, baño, banheiro or loo.

“If I needed to go, I would walk into a cafe or restaurant and just ask,” she said. “I’ve never been turned away in Europe, especially if you learn the phrase in the language of the place you’re in.”

Apps that map bathrooms

When you gotta go, you don’t really have time to waste time on a toilet scavenger hunt.

Thankfully, many tourist offices and information booths print or post maps with the bathroom locations. Some municipalities also provide this information online or in an app, such as Oslo and Rome, which has compiled a list of P. Stops that welcome tourists. Many of the maps also highlight accessible toilets for travelers with disabilities.

Companies that specialize in restroom development as well as tech entrepreneurs have created navigation tools for restroom seekers. JCDecaux, which designs free public toilets in more than a dozen cities in Sweden, unveiled an app called ToaSverige in 2021. It lists 100 toilets in Stockholm alone. HogeNood claims more than 9,500 sites in the Netherlands.

A few apps, such as Bathroom Scout and Flush , offer a broader sweep of the lavatory landscape. However, the crowdsourced data might be outdated, so don’t use these on a full bladder.

BYOTP and other tips

If you are traveling on a budget, strategize your bathroom visits. Use the restroom (twice if necessary) at every museum and cultural attraction you visit — the entry ticket includes the bathroom. At the train station, wait and use the latrine on board, though it might not be as pleasant as the one in the depot. Listen to your inner parent and use the bathroom after every meal.

Martin said some U.K. service stations on motorways and in train depots include a perk with their toilet admission: a discount on a candy bar, cup of coffee, doughnut or other small snack item. So, hang onto your receipt and cash in your coupon.

“I think only 20 percent of those tickets are redeemed,” he said. “So, it’s actually a very clever scheme.”

At some facilities, attendants resupply the rolls of toilet paper or hand out sheets. Spots with a less rigorous maintenance schedule might run out of the paper product. As insurance, Strong always carries a small packet of tissues.

“Bring some change, bring some toilet paper,” she said, “but don’t overthink it.”

Also, don’t go overboard with the toilet paper. Europe plumbing can be old, and you don’t want to be the traveler who clogs the public toilet.

“Americans are notorious for using half a roll of toilet paper at a time,” said Bob Cromwell, who runs Toilets of the World , an online resource.

You may see signs inside the bathrooms urging visitors to be thrifty with the toilet paper. The PSAs are typically written in English.

Where to go

Our favorite destinations: Take our destination quiz to choose your own adventure. Then read about 12 dream destinations at the top of our wish list — without the crowds.

Travel like a local: Residents share their favorite places in our top city guides: New Orleans , Rome , Tokyo and Mexico City .

National parks: Explore tips from locals for visiting Yosemite , Glacier and Everglades .

Tales from the road: Trace a route along the southern coast of Puerto Rico . See how jamón gets made in the heartland of Spanish pork .