I travel all the time — here are the 10 things I never get on a plane without

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. I travel frequently by plane, train, and bus. Thankfully, since my job often includes testing and reviewing new products, I’ve found more than a few gadgets and accessories …

This futuristic Airbus smart seat prototype may make the future of economy flying a bit less miserable

The Move seat concept was created by London-based design firm Layer for Airbus. The seats are made from lightweight polyester wood smart textile wrapped around an aluminum frame. Electrical currents running through the smart textile allow passengers to control the firmness and the temperature of the seat. Move seats can be adjusted using an app. …

Richard Branson reveals how his new adults-only cruise line Virgin Voyages is going to turn the cruise industry upside down

Sir Richard Branson’s new adults-only cruise line Virgin Voyages is officially open for business with tickets for its maiden voyage in April 2020 available for purchase. Virgin Voyages is a joint venture between Branson’s Virgin Group and Bain Capital. According to Branson, Virgin Voyages will do away with buffets, tips, and all single-use plastics. The …

Steve Jobs and Laurene Powell’s 1991 wedding took place in the same hotel that inspired the set of ‘The Shining’ — here’s a look inside the remote resort

The Ahwahnee Hotel was constructed in 1927, and has retained much of its original decor. The hotel, now called the Majestic Yosemite, is nearly 100 years old and is a National Historic landmark. The hotel has had notable guests ranging from famous actors like Judy Garland to an array of US presidents. Steve Jobs and …

A JetBlue passenger was kicked off a flight and arrested after hitting a crew member because she didn’t want to sit next to a child (JBLU)

A 32-year-old JetBlue passenger was kicked off her flight and arrested in Florida on February 14, according to a local police report. The passenger, Valerie Gonzalez, was upset about her seating assignment, which placed her next to a child. Gonzalez hit a fellow passenger and a gate agent. She was arrested and charged with battery. …

Delta is the first US airline to fly the new Airbus A220 jetliner. Here are its coolest features. (DAL)

Delta Air Lines is the first carrier in the Americas to operate the new Airbus A220 airliner. The Airbus A220, which began life as the Bombardier C-Series, is a state-of-the-art, 100-to-150-seat, single-aisle airliner. Business Insider had the chance to experience the Delta A220’s economy and first-class cabins. We were thoroughly impressed by its style, comfort, …

I flew economy class on Kenya Airways’ flagship 787 Dreamliner to see if ‘the Pride of Africa’ stacks up to the world’s top airlines

Nicknamed “the Pride of Africa,” Kenya Airways is the flag carrier of Kenya and a member of SkyTeam Alliance, operating in 53 cities around the world. It recently launched a direct flight from New York to Nairobi, with plans to up to 20 new destinations in Africa, Europe, and Asia in the coming years. While …

I took a 90-year-old funicular 10,300 feet above sea level in Bogotá — here’s what it was like

One of Bogotá’s signature tourist destinations is the Monserrate. However, the famed cable car that brings you to the top of the mountain was out of commission the day I went. I went via funicular instead. Colombia is flush with cable cars — and they aren’t just pretty tourist features either. Bogotá and Medellín both …

There’s a secret room behind Mount Rushmore that’s inaccessible to tourists

Mount Rushmore has a hidden room that’s closed to the public. Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor behind the monument, was worried that over time his work would lose significance. He proposed a secret room behind Abraham Lincoln’s hairline that would contain details of the work done on the mountain and of the society that created it. …

The best double sleeping bags and pads for couples

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. Camping as a couple is a great alternative to more expensive and resource-heavy ways to enjoy the outdoors. Using a shared pad and sleeping bag not only makes …

The $446 million Airbus A380 superjumbo is the largest and most expensive airliner in the world. Take a look inside.

The Airbus A380 superjumbo, the largest commercial airliner in history, will end its production run in 2021. The A380 was once thought to have the potential to revolutionize air travel and rival the Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Instead, only 274 Airbus superjumbos have been ordered, and those in operation play more of a niche role …

Travel guides will tell you to skip Cairo, but the Egyptian capital is a fascinating city bursting with amazing food and culture

As a city of more than 20 million people, Cairo is the most populous city in the Middle East. It has a reputation as a busy, crowded, and polluted city with few reasons for tourists to visit. Business Insider international correspondent Harrison Jacobs and producer Annie Zheng visited Cairo in December expecting it to be …

The iconic A380, the biggest airliner in the world, is going away forever — and that could be great news for Airbus

Airbus will end production of its A380 superjumbo in 2021. Airbus made the announcement after Emirates decided to reduce its commitment to the A380 from 162 aircraft to 123. According to aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia, only 17 A380s are left to be delivered to airlines; 14 to Emirates and three to ANA. The end of …

I’m a frequent traveler, and opening the right checking account saved me $1,413 last year

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. You might be racking up foreign transaction fees while you travel without even realizing it. The Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account and Ally Interest Checking Account …

What it’s like to visit the ‘Aspen of Japan,’ where billionaires and actors dine on sushi in ski lodges and relax in natural hot springs on the side of an active volcano

Niseko is an up-and-coming hotspot located on Japan‘s northernmost island that’s home to some of the best ski slopes in the world. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that several well-known luxury hotels plan to move to the area. The area currently consists of four main resorts, which comprise Niseko United skiing. Along with its …

The end is near for the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet. Here’s how it went from airline status symbol to reject in just 10 years

The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger and most expensive airliner in the world. The superjumbo has now been in service for more than a decade. Airbus has booked just 274 orders for the plane and has struggled to find buyers. The A380 is too big, expensive, and inefficient for most operators. On Thursday, Airbus …

Delta CEO explains why paying employees to volunteer in the community is good for business (DAL)

Delta Air Lines will provide financial compensation to employees who volunteer in their communities. Beginning April 1, airline employees will be paid for volunteer work with any 501(c)(3) or international nonprofit organization of their choosing. The volunteer program is expected to fund 460,000 service hours in 13,000 communities around the world. Delta Air Lines employees …

Take a look inside the ‘Scarlet Lady,’ Virgin’s first adults-only cruise ship sailing to the Caribbean in 2020

Virgin Group just launched a cruise line, Virgin Voyages, that will set sail in 2020. The first ship, “Scarlet Lady” will offer adults-only cruises to Caribbean destinations with luxurious suites, free dining, and a focus on fitness and well-being onboard. There’s also a spa, a rooftop bar, swanky restaurants, and even a tattoo parlor. Watch …

Why cold winter weather cancels roughly 60,000 flights a year in the US

Each year, cold winter weather leads to 60,000 flight cancellations in the United States, costing airlines and airports an estimated $3 billion. But freezing cold temperatures aren’t a problem for planes, which excel in cold, dense air. The real problems happen before planes even leave the ground — clearing snow and ice off of runways …

We flew in first class on the Delta Airbus jet that Boeing tried to keep out of the US. Here’s what it was like. (DAL)

Last Thursday, Delta Air Lines debuted it’s all-new Airbus A220 jetliner on flights from New York to Boston and Dallas. The A220 began life as the Bombardier C Series but was rebranded after Airbus took over the program. We flew in the plane’s economy cabin during the launch flight. Now, we are going back to …

Cushy hotel rooms and fussy amenities in luxury hotels are the latest casualty of Instagram

Some high-end hotels are making a move towards “lean luxury” with smaller room sizes and fewer amenities, Quartzy reported. While the change is driven in part by cost-consciousness, another factor propelling the change is Instagram: Simple designs photograph well. The trend is complemented by other luxury hotels — such as the $1 billion Burj Al …

Lufthansa reportedly sued a passenger after he purposely missed a flight

The German airline Lufthansa sued a passenger in 2018 after he failed to board the final leg of his flight from Seattle to Oslo, CNN reports. The flight reportedly had a connection in Frankfurt, at which point the passenger took a separate flight from Frankfurt to Berlin, suggesting he was engaging in a practice known …

I visited the Great Pyramid of Giza, and while it’s as incredible as you’d expect for the only wonder of the ancient world still standing, I made a rookie mistake

The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still standing, which was acknowledged when the New Seven Wonders of the World were introduced in 2007. I recently fulfilled a childhood dream to visit the archeological site, as well as many of Egypt’s other pyramids, during …

Allegiant Air is selling tickets for as little as $38 on 19 new routes, and its expansion could be bad news for American, Delta, and United (ALGT)

Allegiant Air announced on Tuesday that it will add 19 new seasonal routes in 2019. The new routes will serve destinations such as Charleston, South Carolina; Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; Savannah, Georgia; and Los Angeles. In many of the smaller destinations, Allegiant will go up against the basic economy offerings from …

15 travel purchases that made my experience with international travel a lot less stressful

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you’ll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase. International travel, from a distance, can seem like one big graph — replete with peaks and valleys. The peaks are almost exclusively confined to the trip, and the …

I just tried Google’s brand new augmented reality Maps on a one mile walk through San Francisco, and I miss it already (GOOG, GOOGL)

On Monday, the Google Maps team gave Business Insider the chance to try out its new AR feature for pedestrian maps, which the company first announced at its developer conference last May. The company says the feature is in an “alpha” state and for now, will only be available to “local guides.” Even without a …

A woman wearing just her underwear reportedly shut down an airport in South Carolina

A woman wearing nothing but her underwear shut down Florence Regional Airport on Sunday, SC Now reports. The woman reportedly forced the airport to close for over two hours after making her way onto airport grounds around noon. Two American Airlines flights were canceled as a result of the incident, an American Airlines representative told …