News travels: Your need-to-know before you go
From ancient Roman history to futuristic facial recognition at airports, here’s your inside track on everything travel
A boost for travel buddies
Flying with four-legged family members just got easier with American Airlines. A new relaxed pet policy allows passengers traveling with an in-cabin pet carrier to also bring a rolling carry-on bag aboard (previously, only checked luggage was allowed for those boarding with pets). Meanwhile, United Airlines is also switching up its policies to benefit friends and family, allowing up to five people to link their MileagePlus accounts and share miles. Book through Expedia and you can earn OneKeyCash on top of airline miles and credit card rewards, to make your travels work twice as hard.
All roads lead to Rome
This summer the Italian capital is the place to be, after the reopening of two significant historic sites: the sprawling power palace of Domus Tiberiana and the archaeological remains of Acra Sacra di Largo Argentina, where Julius Caesar was assassinated. Meanwhile, new hotel openings like Six Senses Rome and Bulgari Rome (on the Piazza where Emperor Augusto built his tomb), and new direct flights from Chicago make a Roman holiday even more tempting. To continue the march, a new high-speed train takes you from Rome to Pompeii, where more frescos were just discovered, while Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II will conquer theaters this November.
The bathhouse is back
From Turkish hammams to Japanese onsen and high-end spas, bathhouses have been around for millennia. Now, a new kind is trending. Largely co-ed, these spaces have traded in the hushed tones, fluffy robes and private treatment rooms of the modern spa for group wellness regimens, socializing and gossip. In Manhattan, Bathhouse Flatiron has thermal pools, banya (Russian steam baths) and saunas; Aire Ancient Baths has outposts in eight cities, including London and Chicago; the Toronto outposts of Othership host social evenings to sweat it out together; and revamped historic bathhouse The Schvitz in Detroit is again the hottest neighborhood hangout.
Super-speedy boarding
New technology and government investment are both helping get travelers on vacation faster. Congress has pledged $50 million to cut passport backlogs for U.S. travelers, and to reduce wait times for visas for international visitors—which can currently be months long. In-airport wait times are shrinking, too: At more than 225 airports across the U.S., travelers will no longer need to fish out their boarding pass at security; instead, you can simply scan your ID. And at a handful of departure points, including LAX and JFK, United and Delta passengers enrolled with TSA PreCheck can now breeze through using just facial recognition.
Summer soccer scores big
U.S. fans who can’t make it to the big Euro tournament can get their soccer fix closer to home this summer. This year’s Copa América is being hosted in the States, opening with Argentina facing Canada in Atlanta on June 20, and culminating with the final in Miami Gardens on July 14. Soccer fans can also see Liga MX matches across the U.S. and Canada, starting May 31 in Chicago, as well as the Mexican National Team’s series of friendly matches, with a June 8 face-off against Brazil in College Station, TX, among the highlights.
Travel goals for a summer of soccer
Fiona Kerr is a food-loving travel journalist and former features director at Condé Nast Traveller. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Telegraph, Elle Decoration and the The New York Times. When she gets to a new country, her first stop is usually the local supermarket.
