by Christopher Elliott | Apr 2, 2026
The problem with artificial intelligence is simple: When travelers need it most, it is least helpful. Would you pay extra to avoid AI? That’s the experience of people like Mark Beales, a retired mortgage banker from Mill Creek, Washington. He said that for...
by Janice Hough | Mar 24, 2026
The Iran War affects ticket prices. Airline travelers are facing sticker shock as rising fuel prices cause higher airfares, especially internationally. The Iran war affects ticket prices. Hidden fuel fees make transatlantic flights more costly than transpacific...
by Ned S. Levi | Mar 23, 2026
The partial government shutdown continues. TSA agents call in sick or resign due to no pay. I have ways of getting through TSA security quickly. The partial U.S. government shutdown continues to seriously affect the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS)...
by Christopher Elliott | Mar 20, 2026
A worst enemy would buy drinks from street vendors The coconut smoothie test is hardly a scientific way of determining if you’re a savvy traveler or your own worst enemy. But it’s highly effective. On a recent trip to Malaysia, I used it to measure the aptitude of...
by Charlie Leocha | Feb 24, 2026
Here are the American Airlines rules. These are part of the customer service plan, not the legal contract of carriage. Note the undefined term “significant delay.” Also, note that these amenities begin with flight cancellation. Also, note that no amount is...
by Christopher Elliott | Oct 15, 2025
What you do next matters, but collective power is a long game. Here’s how to vote with your wallet — and at the ballot box. You can almost feel it when you fly these days. It’s that sense that you’re a second-class citizen with limited rights — or none at...
