On Travel

On Travel is a weekly consumer travel column that offers information and advice for people planning a business or leisure trip. The feature started in USA Today in 2013 and is now nationally syndicated.

Editorial illustration showing four silhouetted figures with their hands raised to their heads in confusion or doubt, standing on concentric ring patterns and looking up at a large dark-blue globe of Earth with a giant white question mark hovering in front of it, illustrating how travelers are increasingly questioning the recommendations of professional travel experts in an age of paid influencers and commission-driven advice

Travelers are ignoring the advice of professionals. Here’s why that could be a mistake.

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Travelers are increasingly skeptical of professional advice, ignoring travel agents who collect commissions, influencers paid by destinations, and points bloggers earning kickbacks from credit card companies. A Global Rescue survey shows 85 percent of travelers are concerned about geopolitical instability yet proceed with their plans despite the risks. Cautious skepticism is healthy when evaluating tourism-engine search results and influencer endorsements that dominate Google’s first page. But ignoring U.S. State Department advisories at Level 3 reconsider travel or Level 4 do not travel can lead to serious consequences. The chief medical officer at AXA Partners US says many travelers contract serious diseases and traumatic injuries in risky locations that were easily avoidable by following government advisories.

Editorial cartoon showing an anxious traveler in a blue polo shirt grimacing as he stuffs a large purple roller suitcase into an open green airport trash can, with empty seating areas and large glass windows visible in the background, illustrating the increasing trend of travelers abandoning their luggage at airports to avoid baggage fees

The great luggage abandonment: Why travelers are ditching their bags at the airport

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Travelers are increasingly abandoning their luggage at airports and hotels to avoid baggage fees that can exceed the value of the bags themselves. Hotels in Tokyo and Osaka now post warning signs about luggage abandonment fees while Narita Airport reportedly stores dozens of unclaimed bags daily. Kansai Airport in Osaka and Chubu Airport in Nagoya report similar pile-ups. Asian carriers known for strict baggage fee enforcement contribute to the trend, along with Japanese tourists buying cheap rolling luggage for shopping trips and abandoning it before flying home. Airports hold abandoned bags 30 to 90 days before disposal.

Editorial cartoon showing a frustrated middle-aged guest kneeling on the patterned hotel carpet pointing a complicated remote control at a large wall-mounted TV displaying static, illustrating how smart hotel room technology fails guests trying to perform basic functions like turning on the television

Smart hotel room syndrome: Is technology making your accommodations unusable?

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Smart hotel room syndrome describes the frustration when hotel technology designed to simplify stays actually makes them more complicated. According to a recent Hotels.com survey, 52 percent of hotels now offer tech walk-throughs at check-in because their rooms are too complex for guests to operate without tutorials. The technology saves hotels money on staffing and energy, increases sales through tablet upselling, and collects detailed guest data on usage, sleep duration, and bathroom time. Travel insurance does not cover damages from smart room failures, leaving guests to fend for themselves.