Joseph Dunlap runs into a snag when he tries to buy an airline ticket online for his mother. So he calls the online agency, Expedia, and is sold a ticket that costs twice the online rate. Do rates really vary by that much? Well, yes -- and no.
The World War II aircraft carrier Intrepid, powered by tugs and accompanied by a festive Hudson River traffic jam, was returned Thursday to the Manhattan pier where it has served for 24 years as a military and space museum.
Less than 30 years ago, Union Station, the grand gateway to the nation's capital, seemed to be going the way of the steam engine.
It's 10:45 a.m. on a cloudy day, and the crew of Druk Air flight KB205 is preparing to land at their home airport of Paro, Bhutan. Suddenly, ominous warnings start blaring, alerting them that their flight angle is all wrong and their rate of descent is far too fast. They fly a series of unconventional right-and-left banks through a narrow channel of hillsides before centering the swaying jet and putting it on the tarmac.
U.S. airlines' on-time performance and baggage handling improved in August, compared to the same month a year ago, the Transportation Department said Thursday.
Riyo Mori is a classically trained ballet dancer who won the 2007 Miss Universe beauty pageant. She talks to CNN about Tokyo, dancing and baseball.
Hawaii's tourism industry is offering new deals, incentives and packages as it grapples with a turbulent airline industry and Americans holding tight to their wallets.
Ghosts and ghouls -- friendly ones at that -- are about to take over America's zoos.
Joseph Dunlap runs into a snag when he tries to buy an airline ticket online for his mother. So he calls the online agency, Expedia, and is sold a ticket that costs twice the online rate. Do rates really vary by that much? Well, yes -- and no.
The World War II aircraft carrier Intrepid, powered by tugs and accompanied by a festive Hudson River traffic jam, was returned Thursday to the Manhattan pier where it has served for 24 years as a military and space museum.
Less than 30 years ago, Union Station, the grand gateway to the nation's capital, seemed to be going the way of the steam engine.
It's 10:45 a.m. on a cloudy day, and the crew of Druk Air flight KB205 is preparing to land at their home airport of Paro, Bhutan. Suddenly, ominous warnings start blaring, alerting them that their flight angle is all wrong and their rate of descent is far too fast. They fly a series of unconventional right-and-left banks through a narrow channel of hillsides before centering the swaying jet and putting it on the tarmac.
U.S. airlines' on-time performance and baggage handling improved in August, compared to the same month a year ago, the Transportation Department said Thursday.
Riyo Mori is a classically trained ballet dancer who won the 2007 Miss Universe beauty pageant. She talks to CNN about Tokyo, dancing and baseball.
Hawaii's tourism industry is offering new deals, incentives and packages as it grapples with a turbulent airline industry and Americans holding tight to their wallets.
Ghosts and ghouls -- friendly ones at that -- are about to take over America's zoos.
Tokyo was known as Edo until 1868, but it's hard to imagine that this high-rise, high-tech metropolis could possibly have existed in a time before electricity and concrete. Tokyo isn't just a futuristic city; it's the place that has shaped our vision of what the future will look like.
Tokyo is a huge and often confusing city for travelers, but with these tips you needn't be daunted by the Japanese capital.
Tokyo is a fantastic city at any time of year, but there are some annual events you won't want to miss. Here are some of the city's seasonal highlights.
Canadian Jean Snow moved to Asia to study Chinese in Tianjin, China, but departed for Tokyo after falling for a Japanese woman, who is now his wife. Since 2002, Jean's excellent blog Jeansnow.net has been keeping tabs on design and pop culture in Tokyo. Here he writes for CNN about life in the Japanese capital.
Making donations to charity is becoming an integral part of business travel. Airlines are bringing in vast sums through onboard donation schemes that gather unwanted foreign currency from travelers. And frequent fliers are even handing over their precious air miles to charities.
Last year, the Michelin guide's first foray into Tokyo left the city with some 190 Michelin stars, compared with 95 in Paris and 50 in London and New York. Of course, that's partly down to the sheer number of eateries in Tokyo -- estimated at more than 180,000 establishments -- but it's also testimony to the reverence Tokyoites have for fresh ingredients prepared with the utmost care.
Tokyo may not be traditionally beautiful and it has few historic sights, but it is undeniably spectacular. You'll want to walk around the city, feeding off the incredible energy, rubbernecking at the skyscrapers and marveling at the sheer "Tokyoness" of it all.
Classically trained ballet dancer Riyo Mori had dreams of dancing on Broadway, but her plans suddenly changed when, aged 21, she won the Miss Universe beauty pageant.
Thirty years after it went out of business, the C&O Canal seemed destined to become a paved parkway until Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas stepped in with a novel way to sway public opinion against the bulldozers.
U.S. aviation officials have no legal authority to auction off takeoff and landing slots at airports, a scheme the government devised to try to curb crippling traffic jams at major airports, congressional investigators said Tuesday.
Since the days of George Washington, U.S. presidents have carved out a long tradition of official road trips, if not by motorcade, then by railroad or horse and carriage.
Tokyo has a dynamic and varied nightlife, although, as with the city's restaurants, many of the best bars are tucked away off the beaten track.
From luxury hotels in colossal tower blocks to traditional "ryokan" and functional capsule hotels, there's plenty of variety in Tokyo's hotel scene.
For a world-class shopping experience you should head to glitzy Ginza. As well as flagship fashion outlets, the area boasts one of the city's best department stores, Mitsukoshi (4-6-16 Chuo Dori). The real treat here, as at many Tokyo department stores, is the fantastic basement-level food hall ("depachika"). For the complete Mitsukoshi experience, there's an ever bigger store in Nihombashi.
Americans drove 3.6 percent less in July 2008 than they did during July 2007, Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said Tuesday.
It is not the strongest nor the smartest species that survive, Charles Darwin once said, "but the one most responsive to change."
Taking a road trip by yourself can be good for the soul. The freedom and beauty of the open road on a recent trip in the Pacific Northwest and California brought me back to what is really important in life.
Air fares are up, right? The short answer is yes -- 22 fare increases this year. But fares in some cities are flat or even down, as fierce competition keeps airlines from charging as much as they would like.
Her vacation package includes transfers from the airport to her hotel. But when she lands in Kingston, Jamaica, there's no van to pick her up. What does N.M. Johnston's tour operator, Apple Vacations, owe her?
Travel can make you a poet. Travel can be spiritual. You meet people on the road you'd never meet otherwise. Traveling rearranges your cultural furniture; challenging truths you assumed were self-evident and God-given. By traveling, you learn not only about the people and places you visit -- you learn about yourself.
The rate of close calls on airport runways is up over last year and the risk of a collision is high, a government investigator said Thursday.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will admit visitors free on their birthdays next year.
Maryland's Bay Bridge offers a postcard-perfect view of the Chesapeake Bay, seagulls and ... whatever. I'm not looking.
Fresh from researching London, Bath, York and Edinburgh, I've discovered some new restaurant deals and confirmed some previous favorites.
A government watchdog on Friday demanded an investigation of whistleblower complaints that federal aviation officials failed to fully pursue runway safety problems brought to their attention.
On a recent rainy day at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, a suitcase bound for Colorado Springs, Colorado, lay on the ground outside a terminal under a maze of American Airlines conveyor belts that ferry bags to and from nearby planes.
When David Nicholson arrives at the National Car Rental counter in Guadalajara, Mexico, he's told they're out of cars. And he's also on his own. Shouldn't National have tried to find him another car? Well, yes. So why isn't it responding to his complaint letter?
It isn't exactly common to make a house two-thirds smaller, or to remove the indoor plumbing. But that's what's been done at Montpelier, the plantation mansion of President James Madison.
Once upon a time, Halloween was a one-day event. Then the pumpkins and parties started moving back to the weeks between Columbus Day and October 31.
Once upon a time, Halloween was a one-day event. Then the pumpkins and parties started moving back to the weeks between Columbus Day and October 31.
The Federal Aviation Administration rushed approval of the Eclipse 500 very light jet, even though it had unresolved design problems, according to testimony to be presented to Congress on Wednesday.
The Detroit, Michigan, airport terminal opening Wednesday will have the first USA Today retail stores -- with the same boldly colored banners that mark each of the newspaper's sections -- plus a Sports Illustrated store offering magazines and sports accessories.
The perfect place to exercise your credit card, London has a number of world-class department stores. It's worth enduring the crowds to visit Harrods (87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge), a name synonymous with luxury. The prices can be hair raising but the ornate food halls are a great place to pick up a Harrods-branded souvenir.
If the bustle and stress of city life is getting too much for you there are some fantastic places away from central London where you can unwind. The London Wetland Centre in Barnes is a 43-acre wetland reserve and an oasis for all manner of rare birds and wild flowers.
Pancake, the much loved blue bear, seemed right at home among the oh-so-serious laptop-toting business people. So did his 4-year-old owner, Colin Blodgett.
Continental Airlines Inc. said Sunday it would resume flights in and out of Houston on Monday, but Southwest Airlines Co. won't resume operations here until Tuesday.
Rick Petersen prepays for his hotel room in Duluth, Minnesota, through Hotwire.com. But a few months later, he's charged for it -- again. Now, neither the hotel nor Hotwire seem to care about fixing the double-billing error. Is Petersen out of options?
Armed with a credit card, travel itinerary safely wedged between meeting notes, it's all too easy for business travelers to overlook the impact they -- and their firms' money -- can make on the countries they visit.
It's no surprise: Americans are super-opinionated, especially about the cities they live in and the places they visit. In fact, their feelings are so strong that in the 2008 America's Favorite Cities survey -- conducted by travelandleisure.com and CNN Headline News -- Americans voted more than 600,000 times on 45 characteristics of 25 cities, weighing in on things like shopping, food, culture and nightlife, as well as cleanliness and affordability.
Paris' Belleville offers a rich history and a vibrant present-day scene.
This month we examine the ethics of travel and charity. Business travelers cross continents and see cities more than most; their stays may be brief, but the business traveler still gets a sense of the core culture of the countries they visit.
A Canadian airline's recent decision to remove life vests from all its planes to save weight and fuel has provoked a torrent of angry criticism.
With such beautiful beaches, many tourists get no further than the resorts of Zanzibar. But there's plenty more on offer on these tropical islands in the republic of Tanzania.
Although oil prices have dropped over the past few weeks, U.S. airlines have no immediate plans to reduce fuel surcharges that they tack on to the price of a ticket.
Expect to spend more to fly home for the holidays this year, say the experts at Live Search Farecast.
The crucial tourism industry was out of commission Monday in Grand Turk and likely to remain that way for weeks or even months as the low-lying island rebuilds from the devastation of Hurricane Ike.
When the 1,020-foot Explorer of the Seas cruises through North Atlantic waters next year, it'll spend more time off the coast of New England and less time near Canadian shores, and it's not because of better vistas.
The passenger suspected of starting a bloody fistfight aboard a JetBlue flight over the weekend was charged with assault Monday, according to court documents.
When reports circulated over the weekend of a last-minute deal to keep Coney Island's historic Astroland amusement park open for another year, owner Carol Hill Albert was not amused.
A JetBlue flight from Boston, Massachusetts, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was diverted Saturday when a fight broke out after someone was smoking in the bathroom, federal officials said.
The owner of Coney Island's Astroland said Thursday she is calling it quits and the historic amusement park will close for good on Sunday.
Airlines are complying with 98 percent of federal airworthiness directives, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday.
In December 2000 Guy Ritchie married an American pop singer by the name of Madonna Ciccone, and in doing so became one of the world's most talked about movie directors.
Guy Ritchie re-invented the British gangster movie with his stylish crime capers "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch."
As the northern hemisphere slides inexorably towards autumn, Europeans, with their fading sun tans, are getting back to work or school suffering the "post holiday blues."
Wendell Mrugala makes a hotel reservation through Orbitz. But when he contacts the online agency to confirm his room, he's told there's no reservation. Mrugala makes another reservation, but is surprised when he learns the first reservation has gone through. Is there any hope for a refund?
Where do you begin in a city of this size? How about at the lively South Bank of the Thames, near Waterloo Station? Start with a spin on the London Eye, a colossal Ferris that will take you up 130 meters for an unmatched view of the city.
Pubs and bars are the social glue that keep the city's population from fragmenting into anonymity. Recent years have seen the traditional London pubs joined by fancy Euro bars and New-York style cocktail lounges.
There's a never a dull moment in London -- the only problem is trying to keep up with it all... Here are some annual events you won't want to miss.
In London you can sample food from anywhere in the world. The city boasts excellent eateries serving everything from Ethiopian to Peruvian cuisine, but right now traditional British food is having something of a revival, showcasing the best seasonal ingredients the isles have to offer.
Accommodation in London is extortionate, with a dearth of decent budget options. But once you've resigned yourself to paying top dollar, you'll find there is no shortage of quality hotels.
Patricia Neal is a 29-year-old American living in London. She documents her experiences in her blog "London a la Mode" and here she writes for CNN about life in the English capital.
Dirty, noisy and unbelievably expensive, London is a vast cosmopolitan melting pot of people, ideas and energy. There's not so much a buzz about the place as a deafening roar, and somewhere behind the incessant bustle is 2,000 years of history struggling to be heard.
The southern Japanese island of Kyushu is a world away from the bustling urban centers of Tokyo and Osaka and a place that still holds on tight to its traditions, Dan Hayes writes.
This summer could mark the end of Coney Island's historic Astroland amusement park. But years of back-and-forth bickering among a developer, city officials and ride operators over the park's future leave residents wondering -- is the closure threat real this time?
The Highlands of Scotland were once home to large predators such as wolves, bear and lynx. Landowner Paul Lister plans that they should pad through the glens once again. Dan Hayes reports
After a decade at the final frontier, Star Trek: The Experience is going where no Las Vegas Strip attraction wants to go.
The grip U.S. airlines have on travelers' wallets is about to get tighter as carriers go ahead with plans to trim their domestic schedules due to the high cost of fuel.
As Tropical Storm Gustav approaches, the Gulf Coast's tourism industry is gearing up for the key holiday weekend while keeping a wary eye on the storm and preparing for the mixed bag it may bring next week.
American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways, JetBlue Airways, AirTran and Alaska Airlines plan to cut domestic capacity during the third and fourth quarters by single- to double-digit margins.
Hosting a Republican National Convention is old hat to Minnesota.
An official with Air Canada's regional carrier Jazz says the airline is removing life vests from all its planes to save weight and fuel.
Paris might still be good if you've got a big wad of cash and want the best of the best. But Tokyo is really where it's at food-wise, at least according to the French people who keep track of these things.
When Albert Lewis tries to book airline tickets through Expedia, his screen freezes and goes black. No worries, says a company representative -- the booking didn't go through. So he makes another one. And then -- surprise! -- he discovers the first one actually went through. Should Expedia refund one of his tickets?
With owls swooping through trees as a warm breeze washes in from the nearby Atlantic, a raptor center newly opened to the public here may transport some younger visitors straight to the pages of a Harry Potter book.
The FAA said that most flights around the country were back to normal Wednesday, after a software malfunction delayed hundreds of flights on Tuesday.
I'm strapping myself in for a ride to the edge of the sky. Outside my porthole, the ground crew is preparing the vehicle for launch. The entry hatch is sealed, the mobile gantry pulled away. All systems are go. Soon, powerful thrusters will accelerate us to more than 500 miles per hour. At the peak of our trajectory, we will soar above about 80 percent of the atmosphere. The view of Earth will be panoramic.
Air traffic delays began to clear up Tuesday evening after computer problems left travelers across the United States waiting in airports, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
In the world's largest aquarium, where most inhabitants settle for swimming, Nandi soars gracefully through her new home on majestic 9-foot wings.
If you want to see some classy history, Denver's got that, like the custom-crafted table where Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsin and other global big shots sat during a 1997 summit at the public library.
The Transportation Security Administration said Thursday it was opening an inquiry into "multiple security violations" by American Eagle at Chicago's O'Hare airport just a day after the airline complained a TSA inspector could have jeopardized the safety of their aircraft by grabbing a probe on the fuselage of several planes to hoist himself aboard.
This month the U.S. government has introduced major changes that will affect millions of travelers to the U.S. who do not need a visa.
It may be four weeks until tourists can return to stare as towering waterfalls cascade into blue-green pools near an American Indian village in a canyon miles west of Grand Canyon National Park headquarters.
Cuba is more than a thousand miles from my home in New York, but it's a place close to my heart.
Steamboat Springs is about three and a half hours northwest of Denver. Watch for deer and elk on the beautiful drive over Rabbit Ears Pass on U.S. Highway 40.
| Most Viewed | Most Emailed | Top Searches |
