It’s time to plan holiday trips

By CNN

Published October 30, 2025 4:00 AM

CNN

By Jeanne Bonner, CNN

(CNN) — In our travel news round-up this week: advice for holiday travelers, a robot that could save old languages from dying out, plus a new super-luxurious overnight train in Italy.

Holiday travel preview

Have you thought about holiday travel yet? Time is just about up if you want the best deals on flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to travel company Kayak, which uses search data to analyze trends. The booking “sweet spot for holiday savings” stretches from mid-October to early November, the company says.

Holiday travel set a record in the US last year, and it’s forecast to surpass 2024 levels. Aviation analytics firm Cirium told CNN that passenger bookings on major US airlines for Thanksgiving are up 2.2 percent from last year.

Reservations for Christmas week are up as well, but less than 1 percent, Cirium said.

Hoping to avoid the crowds? Kayak suggests flying out for Thanksgiving on Monday, November 24. That day will be the cheapest. As for Christmas, the most affordable day to fly domestically or internationally will be Christmas Eve.

A rush of passengers would be welcome news to America’s travel industry, which the U.S. Travel Association estimates has lost out on $1 billion in consumer spending every week of the government shutdown.

Air traffic controller staffing shortages have already caused delays at facilities across the country during the monthlong shutdown, and it could get worse.

Americans could face a travel “disaster” as Thanksgiving approaches, Vice President JD Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Thursday, after a roundtable at the White House with aviation, travel and union leaders.

“Look it could be a disaster. It really could be, because at that point you’re talking about people have missed three paychecks. They’ve missed four paychecks. How many of them are not going to show up for work?” Vance said.

“That’s going to lead to massive delays,” he continued.

At LaGuardia Airport in New York earlier this week, Duffy said safety would never be compromised, but staffing shortages often result in slower rates of departures and arrivals.

“If we have issues, we will slow it down,” he said.

AAA recommends travelers arrive at the airport extra early in case of TSA security line delays caused by potential staffing shortages.

Still time to get spooked

Halloween weekend’s not over yet, and some “spooky explorers” hunt for ghosts all year long. Here’s why paranormal tourists spend big money on terrifying trips. And ghosts aren’t the only attractions around the globe that are macabre and mysterious.

Italy’s ‘dolce vita’ just got sweeter

A luxurious new train service in Italy is giving travelers a taste of the good life while spiriting them through the stunning countryside, with glimpses of Tuscany’s famed hill towns. CNN spent 24 hours on board.

The aptly named Dolce Vita Orient Express, which was unveiled earlier this year, is Italy’s first homegrown luxury train. It’s meant to evoke the panache of post-war Italy as exemplified by the films of Federico Fellini, including, chiaramente, the 1960 classic, “La Dolce Vita.”

Travelers can choose among 18 itineraries. A single day on the train is a 24-hour fever dream of wood paneling, wine and pampering. And it all begins at Rome’s updated Ostiense station.

While train travel is often the way to go in Europe, it continues to face obstacles in the US. America’s fast train — NextGen Acela — made its public debut on August 27, but the new trains are rarely able to reach their max speed of 160 miles per hour because of the tracks they’re riding on.

‘Welcome to Paradise’

After Anesu Masube’s mother died shortly before Christmas in 2017, he rushed back to his native Zimbabwe from Washington, DC, and he expected it to be the worst flight of his life.

His last-minute booking saddled him with the middle seat, which is especially uncomfortable for someone like Masube, who’s 6-foot-3-inches tall.

But he managed to get moved to an exit row where the woman beside him greeted him by saying with a smile, “Welcome to Paradise.”

In case you missed it

Are American tourists easily distinguishable from Canadians?

Let the debate begin.

A private phone number, secret opening times, and no interest in Michelin.

Inside one of Tokyo’s invite-only restaurants.

This new tech could save old languages from dying out

It’s a robot that’s works like a talking Elmo toy.

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