AFAR Search

Is Airline Loyalty Even Worth It Anymore?

When it comes to points and miles, the game has changed. Here’s when it still makes sense to stockpile for status and when it doesn’t.

August 21, 2025 02:07 PM

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Katherine Fan

Loyalty + Rewards

The Best Hotel Credit Cards for Avid Travelers

Earning thousands of bonus points, annual free nights, and automatic elite status are just the beginning.

August 16, 2021 04:47 PM

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Eric Rosen

Books

“Like a Secular Church”: Exploring 50 of the World’s Best Indie Bookstores

In a new book, journalist Stuart Husband and photographer Horst A. Friedrichs profile the agonies and ecstasies of 50 bookstores around the world.

April 26, 2021 05:50 PM

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Aislyn Greene

Restaurants + Cafés

This State Now Has More Michelin Starred-Restaurants Than Any Other in the U.S.

Michelin’s first statewide guide awarded 34 California restaurants with new stars this week, bringing the Golden State’s total to 90.

June 4, 2019 06:03 PM

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Lyndsey Matthews

Tips + News

Wondering Why It’s Taking So Long to Get Your Global Entry? We Have Some Answers.

After AFAR staffers recently reported longer-than-average wait times, we asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection what the holdup was.

October 31, 2019 07:10 PM

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Michelle Baran

Travel Tips + Etiquette

5 Ways a Travel Advisor Can Elevate Your Next Vacation

A look at the role of top travel advisors and where they get their knowledge about the latest in travel (the secret is spelled ILTM)

Sponsored by ILTM

Restaurants + Cafés

Fried Chicken, Baked Oysters, and Beer: How a Chef Does New Orleans

Evan Bloom of Wise Sons in San Francisco eats and drinks his way through NOLA.

September 6, 2016 07:18 PM

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Danielle Walsh

Style + Design

These Bluffworks Pants Are Made for Travel—and Now Is Your Last Chance to Buy Them

You can bike miles in them and wear them out to dinner after—but the Trevi Pants won’t be available for much longer.

January 29, 2021 05:06 PM

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Jessie Beck

Art + Culture

What It Means to Be American

Author Abdi Nor Iftin on gaining U.S. citizenship, writing his memoir “Call Me American,” and what he misses most about Somalia.

October 27, 2020 02:48 PM

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Katherine LaGrave

Islands

Escaping to Cat Island, the Best-Kept Secret in the Bahamas

Most tourists haven’t heard of it. Many Bahamians haven’t been there. Here’s why Cat Island should be your next island getaway.

May 23, 2019 11:32 AM

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Lyndsey Matthews

Plantation tours across the United States are sharing the real story of American chattel slavery.

Summer 2024

Americans Should Be Visiting Plantations

The United States was once home to more than 46,000 plantations. Today, many properties remain across the American South. What should travelers consider before—and during—a visit?

September 9, 2024 11:08 AM

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Latria Graham

One of the hallmarks of the tradition is its use of the “<i>kadhua</i>” and “<i>phenkua</i>” techniques. The former refers to when threads are woven in one-by-one, whereas the phenkua (which literally means “to throw”) involves weaving in threads by passing a shuttle machine—which holds yarn—back and forth.<br/>

Longreads

The Silk Weavers of Varanasi

In India’s holiest city, an ancient community of handloom weavers faces an electrically powered future.

February 23, 2023 12:39 PM

Portia and Tanya eat breakfast on the patio of the White Lotus, with stunning Taormina views.

Art + Culture

Where to Go in Sicily if You Liked ‘The White Lotus’

HBO’s second season of the hit dramedy is sure to bring a boom in tourism to Taormina. Luckily, Italy’s largest island has much more to offer.

December 15, 2022 12:29 PM

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Laura Itzkowitz

Air Travel News

You Can Now Convert Your Southwest Travel Credits Into Points—at a Very High Rate

There are some pros and cons to converting the funds. Here’s how to know whether the switchover is right for you.

August 18, 2020 02:38 PM

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Michelle Baran

Red car parked at scenic overlook in the Blue Ridge mountains. The view is of green hills and mountains

Accessible Travel

Finding Freedom on the Road: Solo Road Tripping While Hard of Hearing

For a hard-of-hearing traveler, an unexpected road trip brings back the joy—and confidence—of solo travel.

September 20, 2024 08:31 AM

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Laken Brooks

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