These are the best airlines in the world for 2018

Air New Zealand has been named the best airline in the world by AirlineRatings.com. This is the fifth year in a row the carrier has won. AirlineRatings evaluates airlines based on 13 criteria including customer service, product offerings, and financial performance. No Airlines from North America made the top 10. For the fifth year in …

Tony Robbins showed us the very first thing he does every morning to have more energy

For years, Tony Robbins has been starting his mornings with a 10-minute ritual that gives him a boost of energy and prepares him for the day. On a recent trip to Robbins’ Fiji resort Namale, where he was hosting the winners of Shopify’s Build a Bigger Business competition, he showed Business Insider how to perform …

Here’s how some US citizens can hold multiple passports at once

US citizens can hold multiple valid US passports at once. A secondary passport can be issued when passport markings could limit entry to some countries or when visa processing prevents immediate travel. President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was recently discovered to have held three valid US passports. Although it isn’t widely known, …

How a top airline has responded to the surging popularity of budget airlines like Ryanair

We spoke to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines CEO Pieter Elbers to find out how his company has responded to the rise of low-cost carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet. Following is a transcript of the video. Pieter Elbers: Well, low-cost in Europe started about 20 years ago. And the big low-cost leaders in Europe, Ryanair and …

One of the best bars in the world just opened in New York City — and its out-of-this-world drinks will make you rethink cocktails

The Aviary is one of the best bars in the world. Its owner, Grant Achatz, recently opened a new location inside the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City. Highlights include a drink that’s infused with the scent of everything bagels. The Aviary, which was named one of the best bars in the world earlier …

Tiny startup Trip.com has been acquired by Chinese travel giant Ctrip – a move that could shake up the travel industry (CTRP)

In a move that sends a subtle signal to US travel titans Expedia and Priceline, Chinese travel giant Ctrip has bought a tiny US startup called Trip.com. Trip.com was founded in 2010 by former Myspace exec Travis Katz and employs 25 people in Palo Alto, California. The purchase indicates the global ambitions of Ctrip to …

TripAdvisor users are accusing the site of deleting their accounts of rape and assault

TripAdvisor users report that the site has deleted their accounts of being raped and assaulted while traveling. The users say they were told their reviews were deemed hearsay or unsuitable for the family-friendly site. The site makes money from hotels that pay commissions and advertising fees. A TripAdvisor spokesperson said that the company will introduce …

6 countries where it’s easier for Americans to get dual citizenship

• The US does not prohibit dual nationality — which means Americans are mostly free to apply for citizenship with other countries. • Most citizenship application processes can be intensive, expensive, and time-consuming. • But some nations have policies that actually make it easier to obtain citizenship than others. It’s official. I’m an Irish citizen. …

We explored an abandoned insane asylum, and it was even creepier than we expected

The sprawling campus of the Rockland Psychiatric Center was once considered a picturesque escape for New York City’s mentally ill. The facility opened in 1931 and performed a number of lobotomies and electroshock therapy sessions — both state-of-the-art treatments in the 1940s. We explored the now-abandoned buildings that “represent in microcosm the history of the …

An iconic French restaurant in a New York City Trump Hotel just lost a Michelin star for the first time

Jean-Georges is a vaunted French restaurant in New York City. The restaurant lost a star in the latest version of the Michelin Guide. The guide’s reviewers said the restaurant had experienced “a slow glide downward.” Jean-Georges is no longer a three-star restaurant, according to the newest edition of the Michelin Guide for New York City. …

Here are the best restaurants in New York City, according to the Michelin Guide

The Michelin Guide was just released for New York City. New York now has five three-star restaurants and 56 restaurants with at least one star. The venerated French restaurant Jean-Georges lost a star. The 2018 Michelin Guide for New York City is here. Seven restaurants got new stars in this year’s guide, while one restaurant …

Incredible drone footage shows a bridge in China that is literally above the clouds

The Aizhai bridge is one of the tallest suspension bridges in the world. Since the bridge opened in 2012, many tourists have gone to gawk at the epic structure. Following is the text of the video. The Aizhai bridge is over 1100 feet from the ground and over 3800 feet long. The bridge is located …

16 of the most luxurious ski resorts to visit this winter

Winter is right around the corner. While there are plenty of options for affordable ski getaways in the US and Canada, sometimes you just need to splurge. HomeToGo, a vacation rental search tool, has compiled a list of the most expensive ski resorts in North America, so you can plan a mountain weekend in the …

Tony Robbins hits these special golf balls into the ocean that dissolve into fish food

When Tony Robbins whacks golf balls into the Pacific off the porch of his Fiji home, he’s not just living the peak luxury lifestyle, he’s feeding some of the local fish. Business Insider recently traveled to Robbins’ Fiji resort Namale, where the world-famous life coach was hosting the winners of Shopify’s Build a Bigger Business …

These are the most valuable passports in the world

The Trump administration has drawn controversy for its efforts to ban travel from Middle Eastern countries like Libya, Syria, and Yemen. Now, its policies may be coming back to bite American citizens. Finance firm Arton Capital has placed the United States behind 18 countries in its most recent rankings of passport mobility, which measures the …

Here’s what you should know before planning a trip to the Caribbean this winter

Despite the damage done by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, many of the islands in the Caribbean are open for tourism this winter. AAA recommends that tourists remain aware of conditions that might affect their travel and use an agent to ensure a painless vacation experience. Luxury travel agent Jaclyn Sienna India is sending her clients …

We flew a drone over the changing fall leaves in New England — and the footage is spectacular

While on a recent trip to the northwest corner of Connecticut, we flew a drone to capture an aerial view of the fall foliage that’s starting to peak in the region. Due to warmer temperatures, the leaves are changing colors a little behind schedule this year, which means you still have time to travel to …

The best app for helping you save money on flights is about to do the same thing for hotels

For the past two years, Hopper has been working to perfect the art of predicting the best time to book a flight. I use Hopper frequently, and it’s helped me decide when to book every flight I’ve taken over the past year. And since you can start tracking trips up to a year in advance, …

The US government is investigating another near disaster involving Air Canada in San Francisco

Air Canada Flight AC781 failed to respond to air traffic control’s repeated commands to abort a landing and go around. Air Canada crew claims the plane suffered a radio problem. The incident took place Sunday evening at San Francisco International Airport. Air Canada had another incident at that airport in July that could’ve led to …

We visited the ‘McDonald’s of Russia’ that’s trying to take over America — here’s what it was like

In Russia, a chain serving traditional Russian fare dukes it out with the likes of McDonald’s and KFC — and now it’s coming to the US. In 1998, Mikhail Goncharov was inspired by the immense popularity of McDonald’s in his home country and decided to start a fast-food chain, Teremok, which serves Russian classics instead …

These are the best New York City restaurants where you can eat for under $40

New York City is famous for its world-class cuisine. Each year, the Michelin Guide judges release their list of Bib Gourmands, the best inexpensive restaurants in a city. Meals here cost less than $40. New York City has no shortage of world-class restaurants, but many are too expensive for those who don’t make six-figure salaries. …

Watch this amazing time-lapse showing how ships get through the Panama Canal

A video released from the US Coast Guard shows how one of its vessels travels through the Panama Canal. The Canal is a complex system that utilizes an artificial lake to help ships traverse between the Continental divide. Following is a transcript of the video. The Panama Canal is an engineering marvel. About 14,000 ships …

I’ve lived in Brooklyn for 5 years — and these are my favorite places to go for cheap eats

I’ve lived — and eaten — in Brooklyn for the past five years. Five years in one borough has been just enough time to pinpoint my go-tos and, unfortunately, see some of my favorite restaurants shutter. By this point, I’ve had plenty of time to return, try new menu items, and see if they continually …

19 of the best ski resorts to visit this winter that don’t cost a fortune

Now is the time to book your winter getaway — or start planning at the very least. HomeToGo, a vacation rental search tool, has compiled a list of the most affordable ski resorts in North America so you can tear up the slopes, even if you’re on a budget. They gathered data for the 35 …

Terrifying, first-person photos show the claustrophobic conditions inside Hong Kong’s ‘coffin cubicles’

Hong Kong is in the midst of a housing crisis. As prices begin to rise and the city grows denser, some have resorted to living in the smallest of spaces. Since 2012, photographer Benny Lam has been documenting the housing situation in Hong Kong by focusing his camera on what have become known as “coffin …

How the founder of Zillow and Hotwire led his startups through major crises, layoffs, and a down round to massive exits

Spencer Rascoff is the CEO of Zillow, a real-estate website and app. Before that, he helped create and lead the travel website Hotwire. Zillow went public in 2011 and has grown tenfold since. Today, the company generates over $1 billion in annual revenue; it has made 16 acquisitions and has 3,500 employees. Rascoff led both …