Latest headlines in Travel News

  • Lufthansa Group upgrades Airbus A320 fleet (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:44:04)
    For greater efficiency and lower CO₂ emissions: Lufthansa Group is retrofitting its existing Airbus A320 fleet to optimize flight routes. Starting in 2026, 134 Airbus A320s will be equipped with the FANS-C digital communication system. The ADS-C EPP (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract Extended Projected Profile) technology automatically transmits 4D flight path information – i.e., data on position, altitude, direction, and time – to air traffic control in real time. This allows flight routes to be better adapted to actual conditions in the air. The result: more fuel-efficient flight routes, lower CO₂ emissions, and greater punctuality.
  • Riyadh Air and Huawei Sign an MoU to Advance Digital Capabilities for a New Future of Air Travel (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:41:57)
    Riyadh Air and Huawei have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which brings together the former’s global growth vision and the latter’s technological expertise to elevate how guests discover, book and experience travel with the Kingdom’s new national carrier.The partners have already explored new opportunities in smart aviation and digital innovation, and this MoU marks the next significant step in the airline’s ambition to become one of the world’s most digitally advanced carriers.
  • British Airways Holidays unveils the travel trends set to shape 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:39:34)
    Wellness culture continues to impact in 2026, with three trends leaning into this overarching movement. Time loses all meaning, with almost 1 in 5 UK travellers ignoring the clock entirely on holiday, choosing to eat, sleep and explore whenever they choose. Meanwhile body-positivity goes global, with 31% of UK adults reporting that body-positive experiences are more socially acceptable now than a decade ago.¹
  • Rare and limited Emirates Skywards Platinum memberships to be auctioned (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:37:18)
    The Emirates Airline Foundation and Emirates Auction are partnering for an exclusive online auction to offer special Emirates Skywards membership numbers that come with Platinum tier status benefits valid for up to 20 years. Running from 17 December 2025 until 17 January 2026, bids can be made for special membership numbers with Platinum tier status benefits. The auction will be open to bidders worldwide.
  • Emirates rolls out retrofitted Boeing 777s with Premium Economy to Beirut and Beijing (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:35:28)
    Emirates has announced that retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft featuring Premium Economy will serve flights EK953/954 between Dubai and Beirut from 6 January 2026 and flights EK306/307 between Dubai and Beijing, starting from 1 February 2026. *Beijing becomes the fourth city in the Chinese mainland to receive Emirates’ latest aircraft and next-gen products, while travellers to and from Beirut will experience the airline’s award-winning Premium Economy and new Business Class cabin in 1-2-1 layout for the first time.
  • Peru - The Pinnacle of Holistic Luxury, Where Ancient Rituals Meet Modern Wellness (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:31:54)
    With the opening of Fever’s Machu Picchu: Journey to the Lost City in west London and Manchester, intrepid adventurers can find themselves in the awe-inspiring mountain citadel on their doorstep. This free-roam virtual reality adventure was built in collaboration with historians and 3D specialists to ensure that travellers are treated to a historically accurate feast for their eyes. The rising interest in visiting ethereal places, titled ‘Mystic Outlands’, has been declared the biggest travel trend for 2026 by Pinterest, with Millennials and Boomers seeking out mystical destinations like ruins shrouded in mists. Travellers looking to experience this remarkable site and trend in person can expect a sensory experience that provides holistic nourishment for the mind, body, and soul, positioning Peru as a destination tapped into the increasing demands of wellness tourism.
  • VIRGIN ATLANTIC UNVEILS MAJOR INCENTIVE TO REWARD TRAVEL TRADE PARTNERS (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:29:41)
    Virgin Atlantic is taking its commitment to the travel trade to new heights, giving one lucky travel agent the chance to win unlimited flights across the airline’s global network for an entire year.Unveiled at the inaugural AIRmazing awards on 10th December, the incentive will run from 6th January to 2nd March 2026. Timed to reward and energise agents during a key trading period, the prize recognises the dedication and expertise of Virgin Atlantic’s invaluable travel trade partners.
  • United Airlines winter holiday travel forecast and festive facts (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:24:59)
    UK Travel: United’s passenger bookings from London to the U.S. increased by 9% and from Edinburgh to the U.S. by 73% during the winter holiday travel season (December 18 – January 6) compared to last year. United increased service between London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare from twice daily to three-times daily flights during the winter period.
  • FITUR 2026 to confirm the strength and potential of the UK tourism market (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:23:46)
    FITUR 2026, the International Tourism Trade Fair, running from 21 to 25 January at IFEMA MADRID, will highlight the vitality of the UK tourism market and the close relationship it maintains with Spain, a destination to which British travellers give one of the highest ratings in Europe.In 2024, 18.4 million British tourists visited Spain, accounting for 19.6% of the total. By September 2025, arrivals were expected to reach 15.3 million, up 4% year-on-year, with spending projected at €19 billion, according to the Secretary of State for Tourism.
  • The Silent Revolution: How Every Hotel Website is Becoming an Actionable Endpoint for AI (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:21:09)
    For decades, the web has been held together by a chaotic and brittle system of custom APIs. This fragmented landscape of bespoke integrations is more than just a developer headache; it is the primary bottleneck preventing the next generation of AI from reaching its potential.How can an intelligent agent act on our behalf when it must first learn a unique, proprietary language for every business on the internet?
  • Marriott International Celebrates 100 Signings for City Express by Marriott in the U.S. and Canada (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-18 06:19:04)
    Marriott International, Inc. today announced it has reached 100 signed agreements for City Express by Marriott properties in the U.S. and Canada. With six properties that have opened so far in 2025, and four more slated to open by the end of the year, this achievement underscores the demand that is fueling the company’s expanding midscale portfolio
  • UK government unveils £750,000 funding boost to inspire the next generation of aviation talent (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 11:08:39)
    Young people across the UK are being encouraged to reach for the sky following a new £750,000 government funding announcement designed to inspire the next generation of aviation professionals and open up access to highly skilled careers across the sector.
  • hostAI reaches 5,000 properties as it scales AI-Powered direct distribution (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 11:05:38)
    hostAI, an artificial intelligence–based software company specializing in direct distribution for vacation rental managers, today announced that it has surpassed 5,000 active properties on its platform, a major milestone driven by the expansion of its integrations with property management systems (PMS).
  • GoNexus Group and Peregrino redefine customer journey efficiency (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 11:04:41)
    GoNexus Group, a leading experiences and mobility travel group, and Peregrino, a digital transformation consultancy that helps companies adopt and scale technology with measurable business impact, have announced breakthrough results after deploying their next-generation omnichannel and automation-driven service platform for six months.The performance metrics released today correspond to a 90-day continuous measurement period (August–October 2025) in which the solution operated at full scale. During this time, the platform handled 12,737 conversations and 120,322 messages, averaging 140 cases per day.
  • Experience-lead and agentic destination management emerge as key trends for 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 11:01:41)
    The Data Appeal Company and Mabrian, both part of Almawave Group, unveil Travel Megatrends 2026, a comprehensive look at the behaviours, motivations and spending patterns transforming tourism across Europe and beyond. The report highlights 7 major megatrends, led by the rise of experiential tourism, directly shaping destination management strategies for 2026.
  • How wing flaps work and why they are essential for takeoff and landing (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 09:08:36)
    Wing flaps are movable surfaces located on the trailing edge of the wings and are typically deployed during specific phases of takeoff and landing. The majority of planes have these, whether jets or turboprop.
  • United Adds New Features to Award-Winning Mobile App Like Virtual Gate, Club Recommendation Tool (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 06:59:24)
    United today launched new features to its award-winning mobile app to save customers even more time and further improve the overall travel experience on the world’s largest airline*:
  • Princess Cruises Kicks Off “Pitch-Perfect Vacations” with Fleetwide Broadcast of FIFA World Cup 26™ (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 06:57:16)
    Princess Cruises is kicking off summer 2026 with a winning play: the cruise line has secured rights from IMG to broadcast every match of the FIFA World Cup 26™ across all 17 ships in its fleet. Fans can now book their dream summer getaway without fear of missing a moment as their favorite team battles it out on the world’s biggest pitch.
  • Trinity Hills Valley, S.A. Signs Franchise Agreement with Marriott International (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 06:54:13)
    Trinity Hills Valley, S.A., the Panamanian land-owning entity affiliated with US-based developer TrinityHills Capital, today announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Marriott International, Inc. to develop and operate a Tribute Portfolio hotel and residences as part of a pioneering surf lagoon-anchored resort. This marks a significant milestone in bringing upscale, experiential hospitality to Panama’s emerging tourism landscape.
  • New Exciting Experiences Await Travelers in 2026 in Daytona Beach (Breaking Travel News 2025-12-17 06:51:58)
    The Daytona Beach area, known for its beautiful beaches, rich motorsports history and family-friendly attractions, will have new experiences, amenities and exhibits for visitors to enjoy in 2026.Whether it’s a first-time or returning visitor, there will be new coastal fun to discover in Daytona Beach. Here’s a look at some of the new developments within the destination: