Saturday, July 25, 2026

Brazil's GOL, long a domestic and regional budget player, just went intercontinental. It launched its first-ever long-haul route, Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) to New York JFK, on July 8, flying three times a week on a widebody Airbus A330 leased from Spain's Wamos Air until its own jets arrive. (via Simple Flying)

Saudi Arabia's brand-new flag carrier keeps planting flags. Riyadh Air adds Kuala Lumpur on July 30, three times weekly on a Boeing 787-9, after opening Malaga, Spain on July 14. The startup is racing to build a Gulf network to rival Emirates and Qatar Airways. (via Simple Flying)

The airline industry's top lobby just picked an outsider. IATA, the trade body for over 370 carriers, named the World Economic Forum's Saadia Zahidi as director general from November 1, its first woman and first non-airline chief. Outgoing boss Willie Walsh leaves July 31 to run India's IndiGo. (via Aviation Week)

Qatar Airways is still flying a shrunken map. Geopolitical tension across the Middle East has forced the Doha-based carrier to cut roughly 18,000 flights and suspend service to more than 70 destinations this year, with some routes not due back until 2027. Check your booking before you travel. (via Simple Flying)

The world's most powerful passport is no longer American. CNN reports the US passport has slid from first place to tenth over two decades in the Henley index, as other nations struck more visa-free deals. Holders still get broad access, but the symbolic fall stings. (via CNN Travel)

Europe's new entry permit is getting pricier before it even launches. The EU's ETIAS travel authorization, required for visa-free visitors to the Schengen area and expected to start in late 2026, will cost 20 euros, nearly triple the original 7-euro plan. Travelers under 18 and over 70 stay free. (via CNN Travel)

Japan is leaning into charging tourists more. Skift reports the country is expanding two-tier pricing that lets attractions and restaurants set higher rates for foreign visitors than locals, part of a broader push to manage record crowds and a weak-yen tourism boom. (via Skift)

Forget the sweltering classics. Lonely Planet's summer read has travelers chasing coolcations, milder-climate escapes, with cities like Vienna and Los Angeles topping this year's trending list as heat reshapes where people go. (via Lonely Planet)

Rail fans have a big year. CNN rounds up 2026's most anticipated new trains, from high-speed links to scenic sleepers, giving flight-weary travelers slower, greener ways to cross a country. (via CNN Travel)

A loyalty megamerger is brewing. Skift reports France's Accor and China's H World are detailing plans to link their programs across roughly 19,000 hotels, a tie-up that would give members far more places to earn and burn points, especially across Asia. (via Skift)

New keys are turning across Asia and Africa. The Points Guy's 2026 openings watch flags the Signia by Hilton Tainan in Taiwan and a Singita camp beside Kenya's Mount Kenya, both bookable on points for travelers hoarding hotel currency. (via The Points Guy)

Airport ID checks keep vanishing. The Points Guy reports TSA PreCheck Touchless ID now lets you opt in just once through Google Wallet instead of enrolling airline by airline, so eligible flyers can reach the checkpoint without digging out a boarding pass or license. (via The Points Guy)

American Airlines is making it easier still. From mid-August, the carrier will let passengers opt into TSA PreCheck Touchless ID during online check-in, trimming the sign-up friction that kept many from using facial-recognition lanes. (via The Points Guy)