Travel News

DALLAS - Several of the nation's largest airlines have joined in a lawsuit to block stronger federal rules on crew rest during the longest international flights.

WASHINGTON - Nearly 740,000 Americans have ordered passport cards, a new document being offered by the State Department to speed border crossings by U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - An attraction inspired by the "American Idol" TV show offically opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios Feb. 14.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland - We figured the driver taking us to a New York airport didn't know much about our destination when we said we were going to Iceland and he asked us to spell it.

NEW YORK - The Year of the Ox begins Jan. 26 and stores all over Chinatown are selling bright red decorations to mark the new year. But while it's easy to pick up cheap souvenirs at shops around the neighborhood, it's also worth spending a day seeking out the unfamiliar. You can sample new dishes, listen to a two-stringed fiddle called an erhu, or even visit a Buddhist temple.

LISBON, Portugal - Lisbon is not only one of Europe's cheapest and sunniest capitals, it's also one of the most beautiful, with a jumble of ancient neighborhoods that tumble down to the vast Tagus river (or, as the locals call it, the Tejo) as it rolls toward the Atlantic.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - An updated look at Nashville's restaurant scene is just out from "Where the Locals Eat," a series of dining guides.

DES MOINES, Iowa - Visiting a good bookstore is a great way to connect with local vibe and culture.

Parade floats are being built, costumes are being fitted and krewes are practicing. Let the good times roll! It's almost time for Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

When they travel by air, many people look for the best fare online, book their tickets, and then blithely set off on their trips without thinking about doing any web research on the airports they are leaving from and the airports they are flying to. Until recently, yours truly was one of these great non-researchers. On the few times in the distant past that I'd bothered to look at airport web sites, they always appeared clunky to me and not very useful. But airport Web sites, if they're good ones, should be your first stop before leaving for the airport. ...

The extra fees for talking to a human, eating food, checking your bags, or flying your dog continue unabated at the airlines. And doesn't it seem like every time an airline giveth (Delta eliminating its fuel surcharge on award fares, and reducing phone reservation fees) it also taketh away ("aligning" its second checked bag fees with Northwest's $50 charge, and increasing the in-cabin pet fee to $300 round-trip)?

We've all seen movies on a plane. But what are the most memorable movies about airplanes and airports?