Travel & Leisure
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‘I can understand the, um, obesity here’: The World discovers American cuisine at the World Cup
World Cup fans came from overseas for the cheering. But they’re also doing a lot of chewing, delighting their hosts with rave reviews of North American cuisine. “It’s greasy, it’s disgusting, but it’s absolutely glorious,” Jack Goodwin, a soccer enthusiast from London, said about the American food he has tried in Dallas, Boston, New York…
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The World Cup is just now discovering Middle America’s big heart. These Irish bingo kingpins built a $24 million business knowing it all along
A German tourist named Maximilian Kirch flew into Dallas for the World Cup this summer, bought himself a cowboy hat, and ate barbecue. “Of course I’m wanting to experience more of it,” he told Reuters. A Swiss fan from Zurich posted on Reddit: “Something new for me is how friendly and outgoing everyone is.” Will…
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‘You can expect prices to be high and stay high’: Domestic airfare is skyrocketing faster than international flight costs, despite using less jet fuel
A summer travel paradox has emerged: Even though international flights use considerably more jet fuel than domestic travel, the cost to fly within the U.S. has skyrocketed at rates far beyond that of flying abroad. According to data from airfare search engine Skiplagged, domestic flight price growth has increased 23.2% from March 2025 to this…
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Kraft pounces on World Cup ranch craze with TSA-approved travel kits after the agency tells visitors to ‘avoid chugging’ the dressing
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered surprises on and off the pitch. For one, it’s well-known for being an expensive show, brought about via the introduction of dynamic pricing into the world’s sport. But it’s also bringing about a new sense of community, thanks in part to cities like New York offering free watch…
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World Cup fans say tickets never arrived and orders were canceled. ‘He had told all his friends that he was going to that game. He literally cried’
Bina Ramroop broke down in tears when she realized she wasn’t going to get the World Cup tickets she had bought for her grandson’s 13th birthday. As thousands poured into Atlanta Stadium on Monday to see Spain face Cape Verde in what turned out to be a remarkable scoreless draw, Ramroop stood outside, increasingly stressed as…
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FIFA says ‘market rates’ explain World Cup prices. Economists say the market was rigged by design
On Monday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani stood in Central Park to announce a free watch party for 50,000 New Yorkers in the park for the World Cup final. The state of New York is spending $6 million so that residents who cannot afford the most-watched sporting event on earth can…
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Miami is the World Cup’s best-performing host city — and 45% of its hotels are still projecting a miss
When the U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994, the event drew unexpectedly large crowds. At that time, soccer wasn’t as popular among Americans as it is now, so expectations for attendance had been fairly low. So as the U.S. prepared to host the World Cup again in 2026, expectations for tourism were high.…
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American Airlines is suspending some summer routes thanks to the cost of jet fuel
American Airlines is temporarily suspending some of its routes this summer, as steep jet fuel costs continue to strain carriers’ budgets amid the war with Iran. In a statement, American said it had adjusted service for “select routes” in August and September — and that impacted travelers would be offered alternative arrangements or refunds. The…
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Southwest ditched free bags and MGM added all-inclusive perks: how the travel industry is reinventing itself to survive
If Spirit Airlines’ abrupt collapse sent a warning across the travel industry, it’s that resistance to change can carry real consequences. That reality is now shaping decisions at companies where long-standing business models are being reworked in response to shifting consumer expectations and tighter margins. Few shifts have been more visible than at Southwest Airlines,…
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AI will turn all of your hotel experiences into luxury ones
AI is often derided as something that has made the workplace so robotic that job descriptions for “storytellers” are exploding and CEOs are looking for human intelligence to counteract its effects. As companies look to keep their identity while implementing new AI uses, there’s one industry above all that arguably requires the most human interaction:…