Oh, to sojourn. That delicious feeling of knowing you have a trip booked, bags packed and a hotel room mini-bar with your name all over it. That amazing feeling you get as you step onto the airplane, knowing that you are just hours away from a whole new world. Flying used to be an experience complete with food service, silverware and young, good looking flight attendants. It used to be fun. Lately, it kind of feels like flying has become a hassle, with carry-on restrictions, security checks, unexplained delays and huge ticket prices. Today’s flights are crowded, food service has been reduced to a bag of nuts and, if you’re lucky, your luggage shows up, intact, at the carousel.
With expenses up and the number of flyers down, airlines are working hard to make travel cool again (notice used the word cool not cheap). Many of these new travel ideas call on the advent of technology, and all of them have the common goal of more convenience for the traveler. As Marcel Proust once said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” With that in mind, let’s have our own look at some of the interesting new trends in tourism.
1. JetBlue MINT
JetBlue recently launched its new premium service, MINT. MINT features lie-flat seats, fine dining courtesy of Saxon + Parole, 15” interactive TV screens loaded with channels, and a complimentary amenity kit from Birchbox. It is first class travel on an economy budget, which is one of the best travel ideas we can think of! MINT tickets prices are competitive for coast to coast travel, about $600 from JFK to LAX. Another perk is a designated MINT luggage pick up carousel.
Read related: Surviving Overnight Flights with Kids
