North Korea plans to launch major tourism site next year though it still blocks foreign tourists

North Korea plans to launch major tourism site next year though it still blocks foreign tourists

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a major tourism site being constructed on the country’s eastern coast and discussed steps to open the zone by next year, state media reported Thursday, though the country still blocks visits by most foreign tourists. The Wonsan-Kalma zone is one of Kim’s most talked-about … Read more

Delta Air Lines says cancellations continue as it tries to restore operations after tech outage

Delta Air Lines says cancellations continue as it tries to restore operations after tech outage

Airlines, including Delta Air Lines, continued to struggle to restore operations two days after a faulty software update caused technological havoc worldwide and resulted in several carriers grounding flights NEW YORK — Airlines, including Delta Air Lines, continued to struggle to restore operations two days after a faulty software update caused technological havoc worldwide and … Read more

Friday’s preholiday travel breaks the record for the most airline travelers screened at US airports

Friday’s preholiday travel breaks the record for the most airline travelers screened at US airports

ATLANTA — A record was broken ahead of the Memorial Day weekend for the number of airline travelers screened at U.S. airports, the Transportation Security Administration said Saturday. More than 2.9 million travelers were screened at U.S. airports on Friday, surpassing a previous record set last year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, according to the … Read more

Remember last year’s Memorial Day travel jams? Chances are they will be much worse this year

Remember last year’s Memorial Day travel jams? Chances are they will be much worse this year

You didn’t think summer travel would be easy, did you? Highways and airports are likely to be jammed the next few days as Americans head out for Memorial Day weekend getaways and then return home. AAA predicts this will be the busiest start-of-summer weekend in nearly 20 years, with 43.8 million people expected to travel … Read more

No more cute snaps of Mt Fuji. A screen is up in a Japanese town to prevent tourist crowds

No more cute snaps of Mt Fuji. A screen is up in a Japanese town to prevent tourist crowds

TOKYO — Sorry, the screen is now up — no more snapping cute photos of Mount Fuji from a popular sidewalk spot in the Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko. Known as a place that offers some of the best views of the iconic Japanese mountain, the town last month started erecting a large black screen on … Read more

Evangelical Christians are fierce Israel supporters. Now they are visiting as war-time volunteers

Evangelical Christians are fierce Israel supporters. Now they are visiting as war-time volunteers

TEL AVIV, Israel — When Shawn Landis, an evangelical Christian from Pennsylvania, heard about the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, he knew he would come to Israel to volunteer as soon as it was safe. Five months later, he was chopping vegetables in a Tel Aviv kitchen, preparing meals for Israeli soldiers. Evangelicals … Read more

Kyoto’s picturesque geisha district fights back against over-tourism with keep-out signs

Kyoto’s picturesque geisha district fights back against over-tourism with keep-out signs

TOKYO — Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto, long a popular destination for tourists, is closing off some private-property alleys in its famous geisha district because of complaints about misbehaving visitors. Tourists crowd the narrow, quaint streets of the area called Gion, often following tour guides who show people around and lecture for long hours, local … Read more

New to riding a sleeper train? Here’s the best way to book tickets

New to riding a sleeper train? Here’s the best way to book tickets

As more people reconsider how they travel on a warming planet, a small but growing contingent in Europe wants to switch from high-emission, short-haul planes to more climate-friendly sleeper trains. But for all the climate benefits — plus the enduring romance of overnight train journeys — it’s not always simple building a vacation around them. … Read more

Delta Airlines is hiking checked-baggage fees 17% following similar moves by United and American

Delta Airlines is hiking checked-baggage fees 17% following similar moves by United and American

SAN FRANCISCO — In case you needed yet another incentive to cram all your travel items into a carry-on, Delta Airlines just boosted the cost of your first checked bag by 17%. The increase adds $5 to the previous, and not-exactly-insignificant, $30 fee for domestic flights. Delta is the third major U.S. carrier to hike … Read more

American Airlines to buy 260 new planes from Boeing, Airbus and Embraer to meet growing demand

American Airlines to buy 260 new planes from Boeing, Airbus and Embraer to meet growing demand

DALLAS — DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines announced a massive order for new planes on Monday, splitting 260 new aircraft between Boeing, Airbus and Embraer in a move designed to meet growing travel demand and increase the airline’s supply of premium seats. American said it placed options for up to 193 more planes over the … Read more