Travel News to Know - June 27

And what to know about the U.S. border

Jun 27, 2025

Good morning!

Writing this from Wisconsin. We flew from Venice to Minneapolis via Toronto, so we went through U.S. customs in Canada. We had an easy experience (aside from the long line), which was expected. But U.S. legal residents have been denied entry, detained, and deported, all contributing to international visitors cancelling trips to the U.S. If you’re flying into the U.S. this summer, WIRED has a helpful guide on how to protect your phone from searches and how to enter the U.S. with your digital privacy intact.

As always, it’s off putting seeing so much news about a place, then being in the place and not seeing anything about the news. Walking around Minneapolis, or my parents’ town in Wisconsin, you would have no idea that the U.S. is in crisis. Maybe this is the problem. Most people’s lives go on as normal while a minority suffer. Maybe things need to get a lot worse for everyone before they get better.

Anyway, it’s been a sweltering, wet week here in the Midwest, but looks like it’s finally getting sunny enough to enjoy a pitcher of beers at the Union Terrace and some hangouts in my family’s backyard. Hope you’re all having a good week, wherever you are in the world.

And some admin: thank you for voting in the poll last week! The results were overwhelmingly in favor of kids travel stories being a separate newsletter. You can find that and subscribe here. It’s free for now and will be published most Wednesdays. In its place in this newsletter, paid subscribers will get occasional extra posts.

Travel News to Know

It’s going to be a busy travel week in the U.S. for the Fourth of July holiday. AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel domestically from June 28–July 6. TSA expects more than 18.5 million people to travel by air from July 1-7. Stay safe, everyone!
North Korea plans to open a coastal tourist site for nearly 20,000 guests. It will open for domestic tourists first, but visitors are expected from Russia’s Primorsky region are expected in early July.
Week of Bests: France dominated the Decanter World Wine Awards, followed by Italy. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants named Maido, in Lima, Peru as the world’s best restaurant. Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain was second and Mexico City’s Quintonil was third. And the World’s Best Airline Awards named Qatar Airlines the best in the world. The top 10 were all Asian and Middle Eastern airlines. No U.S. airline made the top 20.
Airline news:
- American Airlines is expanding its route map for ski season. New flights head to Sun Valley, Aspen, and Santa Fe.
- French air traffic controllers are threatening to strike on July 3-4. They have cited “toxic” and “authoritarian” management.
- The EU will ban airlines for charging extra for hand luggage. Air passengers will be able to bring a personal item into the cabin and a piece of hand luggage of up to seven kilograms free of charge. Looking at you, Ryan Air! Good news, but could mean more expensive flights.
- United is facing a race discrimination lawsuit. Two Asian American women were mistaken for each other and one was denied boarding, even though the other was accused of physically assaulting a flight attendant.
South Africa, Botswana, and Kenya introduced new tourism taxes to promote sustainable tourism.
Porto banned the sale of alcohol for consumption on public roads after 9 p.m. as part of new regulations for nightlife.
New York City closed the arrival center for migrants at the Roosevelt Hotel this week.
A 2024 National Park Service report found multiple health and safety issues at Yosemite lodges, including rotting decks and rodent infestation issues. Aramark Corporation manages the Ahwahnee and Wawona Hotels.
You can submit your photos to the Washington Post 2025 travel contest.