Starting back in 2006, you may have noticed a new camera-like icon appear on the front of your passport. That's when the United States started implementing biometric passports, also known as e-Passports. The first country to use them was Malaysia in 1998, with other countries following suit in the years that followed. These handy little booklets, which are becoming easier for people to obtain for travel, still otherwise functioned the same way as any passport you'd had before, but now they contain a microchip that security personnel at airports can read.

You Might Zip Through TSA Faster If Your Passport Has This Small Camera Symbol On It

Many travelers view TSA unfavorably, often seeing it as a source of frustration at the airport with their relentless reminders to remove shoes, take out electronics, and discard liquids that don't comply with the strict 3-1-1 rule. If you're particularly unlucky, you might even be pulled aside for additional screening. And even if you're savvy enough to apply for TSA PreCheck or Clear to speed through the TSA line as fast as possible, you can still face delays, especially in a bustling airport where everyone and their mother is trying to board a plane.

The Many US Airports Where You No Longer Need To Show Your Boarding Pass To TSA

Los Angeles, CA

Alaska Airlines is expanding its international network with new nonstop service to two popular Mexican destinations this winter. Starting on November 20, the airline will be the only U.S. carrier offering service between Los Angeles (LAX) and La Paz (LAP), a coastal city known for its diving and sport fishing. Flights will operate year-round, up to three times weekly.

Alaska Adds Two Mexico Routes

Orlando, FL

While they may be money savers or inevitabilities, layovers are stressful. Sprinting through hallways trying to make it to your gate on time is nerve-wracking and not a great way to start or end a vacation. And anyone who has been to Orlando International Airport (MCO) knows that this is not an airport for the faint of heart. In fact, it's regularly ranked as one of the worst in the country, especially for layovers.

This Southern Airport Is The Absolute Worst For Layovers In The US

NBC News

WASHINGTON — Air travel got more miserable last year, if the number of consumer complaints filed with the U.S. government is any measure. The Transportation Department said Friday that it received nearly 97,000 complaints in 2023, up from about 86,000 the year before. The department said there were so many complaints that it took until July to sort through the filings and compile the figures.

Air travel is getting worse. That’s what passengers are telling the U.S. government.

All US citizens will soon be able to renew their US passports online, but for now, you'll need to be very punctual to make it happen. The window for passport renewal applications opens each day at 1 p.m. ET and closes when it reaches an unspecified number. On Friday, June 14, we found that the window closed at 1:01 p.m. ET, less than two minutes after it opened.

If You Want to Renew Your Passport Online, You Need to Do It at This Exact Time

Texas State

ABC News

Beryl strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall along Texas' Gulf Coast Monday morning.

Hurricane Beryl tracker: Death toll rises to 6 in Texas, over 2 million without power

Airport security lines can be long and torturous, but TSA PreCheck is here to speed up the process. With the program, you can expect shorter lines and you don't have to remove your shoes and personal items from your bags. However, there are several requirements to get approved for TSA PreCheck.

Requirements You Need To Know Before Applying For TSA PreCheck

Newark, NJ

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Morristown Minute

NEWARK, N.J. – Eight individuals associated with the "793 Bloods" street gang, a subset of the national Bloods gang, have been charged for their roles in a Newark-based drug trafficking organization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Eight '793 Bloods' Gang Members Charged in Newark Drug Network

New York Post

Some men like hitting it raw — the friendly skies, that it. 

“Raw-dogging” has become the buzziest travel trend of the summer, seeing stealth plane passengers forgo the modern comforts of flying to stare at either the in-flight map or nothing at all during lengthy trips. 

No music, no streaming, no snacking, no sleep. 



“I have never seen so many people raw-dogging a flight in my life,” wrote Michelle, a stunned New York-based beauty influencer, in the closed-caption of a TikTok clip. 

“Literally just staring straight ahead the entire time?” she added in the video, featuring an aircraft full of jet-setters enjoying a journey sans distractions....

Men are ‘raw dogging’ it on flights  — here’s what the weird travel trend means

The Mirror US

Chaos threatens to swamp Fourth of July travelers this year as record-breaking travel statistics compound with delays and cancellations, causing headaches for thousands of Americans

Fourth of July chaos as hundreds of flights delayed, canceled amid record-breaking travel season

The Motley Fool

Checking your passport's expiration date before booking international flights is necessary. Find out how to avoid a costly trip-planning error.

Traveling Abroad? This Passport Mistake Could Cost You Hundreds

Forget jet lag – the biggest travel hurdle might be something you already own: your passport. This essential document acts as both your ID and proof of citizenship, ensuring a smooth international journey. But to avoid last-minute scrambles, it’s crucial to understand how long your passport is good for.

How long is a passport good for?

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Dunhill Travel Deals. Travel is continuing a resurgence among consumers after the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the industry in 2020 — when global tourism fell by 74%. While consumers remain eager to travel, the pandemic’s longer-term economic ripple effects have made big trips a pricier proposition.

The 10 Cheapest Places to Vacation in America

Beryl is bringing dangerous storm surge to the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Beryl strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall along the Gulf Coast of Texas early Monday morning. The earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in history, the storm killed at least seven people in the Windward Islands before...

Hurricane Beryl live updates: Storm makes landfall in Texas as Category 1 hurricane

Delaware State

WILMINGTON, Del. -- A Delaware judge heard arguments Monday over a massive and unprecedented fee request by lawyers who successfully argued that a massive and unprecedented pay package for Tesla CEO Elon Musk was illegal and should be voided. Attorneys for a Tesla stockholder who challenged Musk’s 2018 compensation package...

Judge who nixed Musk's pay package hears arguments on massive fee request from plaintiff lawyers

PANAMA CITY -- A court ruling could permit the construction of a new reservoir to feed the water-starved Panama Canal, but the project might take six years to build, the managers of the waterway said Monday. The Panama Canal has decreased the maximum number of ships travelling the waterway each...

Ruling could permit a new reservoir for the water-starved Panama Canal, but it could take 6 years

When you think of Pisa, Italy, it's a pretty good bet that the Leaning Tower springs to mind. The tower started leaning a few years after construction began in the 12th century, and the number of tourists who have a picture of themselves appearing to hold up the tower rivals the stars in the sky. In fact, many tourists skip Pisa or just stop by for a pic of the tower and move on. However, travel pro Rick Steves tells us on his website that there is a lot more to see in Pisa beyond what he calls the "tipsy tower."

The Best Things To Do In Pisa Beyond Its Touristy Leaning Tower, According To Rick Steves

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A Piece of Travel

A U.S. passport can take months to process. But if you don't want to wait that long and put your travel plans on hold, you're in luck. Americans can travel to these seven destinations without a passport.

7 Wonderful Places Americans Can Visit Without a Passport

New York City, NY

The e-Texan

New York – As Trump anticipates his sentencing on July 11th in the New York hush money case, Florida Judge Aileen Cannon made a ruling this Monday. Despite rejecting Trump’s legal team's request to dismiss several charges in the classified documents case, she conceded on a minor point. She removed a portion of the charges that referenced an uncharged allegation, but upheld the other charges.

Legal expert says Trump should not be jailed after New York guilty verdict because he is ‘too old’

NewsBreak

More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time

More than 3 million people passed through U.S. airport security on Sunday, the first time that number of passengers have been screened in a single day...

More than 3 million pass through US airport security in a day for the first time

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