Air travel hits another pandemic high, flight delays grow
Air travel in the U.S. is hitting new pandemic-era highs, and airlines are scrambling to keep up with the summer-vacation crowds. Despite rising numbers of coronavirus infections fueled by the delta variant, the U.S. set another recent high mark for air travel Sunday, with more than 2.2 million people going...
Arnold Palmer airport offers 2 round-trip tickets in Steelers Week promotion
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority will be giving two travelers a free ticket for a southern trip as part of a Steelers Week promotion beginning Monday in Unity and Latrobe. Visitors to the authority’s Arnold Palmer Regional Airport may enter for a chance to win a round-trip ticket to any...
Contour to offer new flights from Pittsburgh International to Indianapolis, Milwaukee
Contour Airlines will begin nonstop flights from Pittsburgh to Indianapolis and Milwaukee on Oct. 12, the airline announced Wednesday. “Pittsburgh is a new market for us,” said Matt Chaifetz, CEO of the Smyrna, Tenn.-based airline. Contour had been in talks with Indianapolis Economic Development Corp. about adding flights to certain...
Canada to let in vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9
TORONTO — Canada announced Monday it will begin letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens into Canada on Aug. 9, and those from the rest of the world on Sept. 7. Officials said the 14-day quarantine requirement will be waived as of Aug. 9 for eligible travelers who are currently residing in...
Going abroad? U.S. government says passport waits top 3 months
WASHINGTON — Americans hoping to travel abroad this summer may have to delay their plans if they need new or renewed passports. The State Department said Wednesday that the wait for a passport is now between 12 weeks and 18 weeks, even if you pay for expedited processing. That’s because...
Italy to ban mammoth cruise ships from Venice as of Aug. 1
ROME — Declaring Venice’s waterways a “national monument,” Italy is banning mammoth cruise liners from sailing into the lagoon city, which risked being declared an imperiled world heritage site by the United Nations within days. Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the ban was urgently adopted at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday...
U.S. holiday travel expected to approach pre-pandemic levels
Americans are expected to travel in near-record numbers over the July 4 holiday despite the increased cost of gasoline, rental cars and hotel rooms, according to the trade group AAA. “Americans are ready to catch up on those missed opportunities with their friends and families from last year, especially to...
Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary party starts Oct. 1
Walt Disney World is planning an 18-month celebration in honor of its 50th anniversary. All four parks at the Lake Buena Vista, Fla., resort will take part in “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” beginning Oct. 1, Disney announced Tuesday. On Oct. 1, 1971, the resort opened to guests, culminating years...
Nearby getaways popular for Pennsylvania travelers this summer
After the pandemic forced many to scrap vacation plans last summer, a gaggle of travelers are gearing up for a getaway. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, 63% of people plan to leave their homes for more than two days to enjoy a summer getaway, according...
Safety first: Plan ahead to avoid vacation travel mishaps
“On the road again. Just can’t wait to get on the road again.” Willie Nelson sang it, and Americans are living it this summer — eager to make up for travel time lost during the pandemic shutdown. “Obviously, Memorial Day weekend was extremely busy for travel, and we’re seeing that...
Cruise ships restart in Venice, bring environmental protests
VENICE, Italy — The first cruise ship since the pandemic wended its way Saturday through the heart of Venice, escorted by triumphant water-spouting tugboats and elated port workers as it traveled down the Giudecca Canal but also protested by hundreds on land and a small armada of wooden boats waving...
Here are some top vacation getaways for Pittsburgh area travelers this summer
After covid-19 forced many people to spend most of their time at home over the past year, eager travelers finally might be ready to get out and enjoy a vacation this summer. For the first time since the start of the pandemic, 63% of people plan to leave their homes...
Princess Diana’s wedding dress goes on display in London
LONDON — The dress Princess Diana wore at her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles went on public display Thursday at the late princess’s former home in London. The taffeta-ruffled white dress designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, with its 25 foot sequin-encrusted train, helped seal the fairytale image of the...
Weird Pennsylvania: Your guide to unique spots in the state
Beyond the immortalized battlefields, museums of science and historic collections, Pennsylvania also is home to an amazing array of weird and wacky sites and attractions. Here’s a look at 23 of those special places, including a few right here in our own backyard. Castle Halloween, Altoona Decades of Halloween and...
Party of 4? Your trail is ready. Busy parks try reservations
ST. HUBERTS, N.Y. — Nick and Matthew Golebiewski climbed to the summit of Gothics mountain in the Adirondacks with packs, water, good boots and a new must-have item: advanced reservations. The free reservation system went online recently to handle the fast-growing number of visitors to the privately owned Adirondack Mountain...
Turnpike officials expect Memorial Day traffic to nearly double from last year
What a difference a year makes. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission project traffic on the toll highway over the Memorial Day holiday will almost double to 2.1 million motorists compared to 2020, when travelling options were severely impacted by shutdowns and safety concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic. The agency anticipates...
Whimsical new NYC waterfront park floats over Hudson River
NEW YOR — A whimsical new park that appears to float on pilings above the Hudson River opened to the public just off the Manhattan shoreline Friday, four years after a fight between media mogul Barry Diller and a billionaire real estate developer threatened to derail it. The new park,...
Disney CEO says attendance caps at parks being raised
Disney’s top executive says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision to ease up mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated people is “very big news for us.” During an earnings call on Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek hinted that there could be a change to the mandatory mask requirement at...
Signs of optimism as NYC sees rise in tourism, bit by bit
NEW YORK — The once-deserted steps outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art are filling up with visitors again. Hotel lobbies are losing their desolate feel. Downtown, people are back to taking selfies with the Charging Bull statue near Wall Street. Tourists who vanished from New York City’s museums, hotels and...
TripAdvisor removes insensitive review of Auschwitz Museum
NEEDHAM, Mass. — Travel website TripAdvisor has removed an insensitive review of the Auschwitz Museum after initially saying it complied with its submission guidelines. The museum at the site of the Nazi concentration camp in Poland on Thursday tweeted that it had asked the Massachusetts-based travel website to take down...
Las Vegas hitting jackpot as pandemic-weary visitors crowd back
LAS VEGAS — To Mike Anger in Midland, Mich., a $100 round-trip airline flight and $260 for five nights at a Las Vegas hotel made it too easy to say yes. “How could I turn that down?” the 39-year-old electrician asked, holding a tall vodka drink, basking in 90-degree temperatures,...
GO Laurel Highlands office marks Travel and Tourism Week with open houses, online prizes
The destination marketing organization for Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties, is spotlighting the “Power of Travel” during National Travel and Tourism Week, held during the first week of May. Ligonier-based GO Laurel Highlands also will welcome visitors during two open house events, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday...
Find out why more than 1 million visit Ohiopyle State Park each year
One of the “must see” state parks for your bucket list is located in Fayette County. Ohiopyle State Park is a unique place to stay for a day or a week. It has everything that you could imagine being part of a natural resource. The park is a place where...
Lost frescoes to greet visitors when Italy’s Uffizi reopens
Recently discovered frescoes will greet visitors to Florence’s Uffizi Galleries when the museum reopens May 4 after the most recent covid shutdown. Workers doing restoration discovered the painted walls and ceilings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries beneath plaster in the museum’s west wing, which is where the new...
France suspends all Brazil flights due to virus variants
PARIS — France’s prime minister has announced the suspension of all flights between Brazil and France amid concerns over coronavirus variants. Prime Minister Jean Castex made the announcement Tuesday in parliament. He said: “We note that the situation is getting worse and so we have decided to suspend all flights...
