Travel

Olivia Estrada, the on board manager, carries plates of food to the dome car for guests aboard a Patrick Henry Creative Promotions private rail car as it travels from Chicago, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri, on May 19, 2026. Private train cars may seem like a relic of the past, but for some rail fans, nothing beats having — or renting — your own sleeper car. (Jamie Kelter Davis/The New York Times)

The quiet allure of private rail

By The New York Times News Service Syndicate

October 2, 2026 at 6:15 p.m.

Private rail cars traveled 429,000 miles on Amtrak in fiscal year 2025, according to the...

Cary Sabados shops for chocolate at Hotel Chocolat in Lakeview on Feb. 12, 2026. This Lakeview location, opened last April, was the first Chicago store. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Chicago-based Hotel Chocolat going nationwide with airport concessions, grocery stores and new retail markets

By Robert Channick

September 23, 2026 at 12:37 p.m.

This fall, Hotel Chocolat will pop up at 49 airports, hit the shelves at Wegmans,...

UNITE Here Local 1 workers from Cambria Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel picket outside of the hotel on Oct. 23, 2018. (José M. Osorio/baiduhai)

Chicago hotel workers vote to strike

By Talia Soglin

September 21, 2026 at 4:15 p.m.

Workers at dozens of downtown Chicago hotels could go on strike at any time, according...

Travelers stand in line at a ticketing gate at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, at DFW Airport, Texas, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The shutdown is over. Flights have resumed. Thanksgiving travelers might wonder: What now?

By Rio Yamat

November 24, 2025 at 8:45 a.m.

The turbulence caused by the longest government shutdown on record may still be fresh on...

United Airlines aircraft move from the gate at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Federal Aviation Administration awarding $10,000 bonuses to air traffic controllers with perfect attendance during the government shutdown

By Josh Funk

November 20, 2025 at 5:52 p.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration says only 776 of the more than 10,000 air traffic controllers...

The new system will be a biometric kiosk that TSA describes as a ”modernized alternative identity verification program,” allowing passengers to access TSA checkpoints for up to 10 days after paying the $18 nonrefundable fee. (LINDSEY WASSON/AP)

TSA to introduce $18 fee for passengers without REAL ID or passport at airport checkpoints

By Taylor Fishman

November 20, 2025 at 3:47 p.m.

The new system will be a biometric kiosk that TSA describes as a” modernized alternative...

Ghent’s St. Bavo’s Cathedral houses the pearl of Flemish painting – the gigantic Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, which is perhaps the most stolen painting in existence. (Cameron Hewitt, Rick Steves’ Europe)

Rick Steves’ Europe: A walk through Ghent

By Rick Steves

November 18, 2025 at 3:00 a.m.

Once one of Belgium's medieval powerhouses, Ghent today is home to one of Belgium’s biggest...

Poland’s last king built huge, idyllic Łazienki Park as a summer residence and place for his citizens to relax – and today, Poles still come here to do just that. (Addie Mannan, Rick Steves’ Europe)

Rick Steves’ Europe: Warsaw: A resilient spirit carved by a harsh history

By Rick Steves

November 14, 2025 at 3:00 a.m.

Today’s Warsaw is safer, wealthier, and happier than ever. You’ll encounter stylishly dressed locals, sophisticated...

An airplane descends to land at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Airlines are optimistic about a quick recovery ahead of Thanksgiving once the FAA ends flight cuts

By Josh Funk

November 13, 2025 at 8:44 p.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that airlines won't have to cut more than 6%...

Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay, who is at least 100, sits at a war memorial in Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 9, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

In Arizona, a fading Route 66 motel hides a story of the Navajo Code Talkers

By Jonathan Bullington

April 24, 2026 at 10:40 a.m.

Only two of the Navajo Code Talkers are still alive. The Route 66 motel where...

With its 52 towers, witch-hat turrets, and nearly two miles of ramparts, Carcassonne is France’s ultimate walled city. (Cameron Hewitt, Rick Steves’ Europe)

Rick Steves’ Europe: Carcassonne: The Fortress City of your travel dreams

By Rick Steves

November 4, 2025 at 4:15 a.m.

Sunny, out-of-the-way Languedoc stretches from the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees in southwest France. It shares...

President Donald Trump is illuminated by a camera flash as he walks across the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Washington, after returning from a trip to Florida. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Government shutdown could become longest ever as Trump says he ‘won’t be extorted’ by Democrats

By Mary Clare Jalonick

November 3, 2025 at 4:35 p.m.

With the two parties at a standstill, the shutdown, now in its 33rd day and...

In Liechtenstein’s towns, it’s common to see quaint churches bumping up against modern business buildings. (Rick Steves, Rick Steves’ Europe)

Rick Steves’ Europe: Little, little Liechtenstein

By Rick Steves

November 1, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

Two centuries ago, there were dozens of independent states in the part of Europe that...