Jessica Puckett

Freelance travel journalist based in New York City.

Condé Nast Traveler •

How to Plan a Trip Along Amtrak's New Mardi Gras Route to New Orleans

This summer, Amtrak is finally resuming a decades-old route through the Southern US, newly minted as the Mardi Gras Service.The train line is restarting service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans via the Gulf Coast of Mississippi for the first time in 20 years. Passenger rail operations have been suspended in the region since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the coast in 2005. But that’s changing on August 18, when Amtrak will relaunch its route along the Gulf.Tickets are now on sale for the Mard...
Condé Nast Traveler •

The World's Most Beautiful Airports for 2025

Finding beauty in the airport may sound more like a philosophical experiment than a realistic travel experience, but the most innovative terminals of today are prioritizing architecture and aesthetics as integral elements of their design.Every year, the Prix Versailles architecture awards highlights the most beautiful new airport terminals around the world. Beyond just visual appearances, the prize also aims to recognize intelligent sustainability in airport design.Modern airports “must resolve...
Travel + Leisure •

These Destinations Have the Highest Levels of Travel Fraud, According to Mastercard

A common fear among travelers when they visit a new destination is whether they might fall victim to scams, such as pickpocketing or being ripped off by a tour company that seemed legit. It turns out those fears are not entirely unwarranted, as a new study shows that the travel industry is a huge target for scammers.

The Mastercard Economic Institute examined aggregated and anonymized transaction data from Mastercard and found that “the travel industry ranks among the sectors most susceptible...
TravelPulse •

Hidden City Booking Trick Is Still Legal—What Travelers Should Know

A federal jury in Texas has ruled that a popular but controversial booking trick that travelers use to find cheaper airfare is still legal.  Travelers can continue to find so-called “hidden city” fares—in which airline passengers book a flight with a layover, but stop traveling at their connecting airport instead of flying the full itinerary—on the website Skiplagged, according to the ruling in a lawsuit American Airlines brought against Skiplagged. The Dallas-based carrier sued Skiplagged in fe...
Travel + Leisure •

Las Vegas Is One Step Closer to Getting a New Airport—What to Know

Las Vegas could soon get a brand new airport. 

Plans to build a second airport in the Las Vegas metropolitan area just took a major step forward. On May 19, officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Bureau of Land Management issued a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport in the Ivanpah Valley, located between the small towns of Jean and Primm.

Preparing an environmental impact statement is the first step in...
Condé Nast Traveler •

Can You Move to an Open Seat on a Plane? We Asked Flight Attendants.

On board a plane, personal space—even the tiniest bit of extra elbow room—is a luxury. So it’s understandable that when most passengers see an empty row or vacant spot on the aisle, they want to claim it for themselves.Even the most etiquette-minded fliers might be tempted to slyly trade a middle seat with armrest hogs on either side for an unoccupied section just a couple rows away. However, not only is this rude, according to flight attendants, it could also be a serious safety violation.“Jump...
Condé Nast Traveler •

7 Trending European Destinations for Summer—And How to Avoid the Crowds If You Visit

All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.Summertime in Europe can be magical, with opportunities to explore cliffside villages in the sunshine, hike through rolling green hills, and dip into the sparkling blue waters of the Adriatic or Mediterranean seas.But without the proper planning, a summer trip to Europe can leave travelers co...
TravelPulse •

United Airlines Announces Plans for Air Taxi Network in New York City

Commuting to any of New York City’s three major airports is about to get a lot more convenient. Archer Aviation and United have announced plans for a new air taxi network around NYC, including services from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia International Airport (LGA), and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International (EWR). With the new service, passengers will glide seamlessly above the city’s traffic inside Archer’s Midnight electric air taxi, which can shuttle u...
TravelPulse •

Travelers Are Less Satisfied With U.S. Airlines in 2025, According to New Data

American travelers’ frustration with airlines appears to be growing. Customers’ overall satisfaction with United States airlines has dropped 4 percent in 2025 compared to last year, according to a new report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), an organization that measures consumer sentiment across a variety of industries.U.S. airlines collectively scored a 74 out of 100, down four points from last year’s record-high satisfaction score of 78 points. The report measured traveler...
Condé Nast Traveler •

7 Luxury Trains With Ultra-Glamorous Bar Cars

If you close your eyes and envision a glamorous journey by train, you probably picture the elegance of the bar car first: a place where travelers can mingle and unwind with a glass of Champagne to classic tunes—perhaps even singing along come nightfall. Aboard the world's most luxurious trains, the bar car is often the most opulent space and represents the social heart of the journey. This is where passengers come dressed in their best black tie attire and swap stories after a long day of sights...
Condé Nast Traveler •

How Safe Is Flying Today? 5 Things Experts Want Travelers to Know

It's been a difficult couple of months for US aviation safety. With memories of recent incidents still fresh, travelers everywhere are feeling anxious about air travel as they book their next vacation or board their next flight.Understandably, many fliers are seeking greater clarity on what air travel safety looks like today. “Obviously these recent accidents give people reason to pause,” says Anthony Brickhouse, a US-based aviation expert. “But I don’t think we should connect the dots from thes...
Condé Nast Traveler •

Should Airlines Guarantee Overhead Bag Space for All Fliers?

It seems like a perk from a bygone era of air travel: the ability to calmly walk onto a plane and find plenty of room to store your carry-on bag without throwing elbows at other passengers. The fear of being required to check your carry-on at the gate—risking lost luggage and an extra half-hour of wait time upon landing—has led passengers to crowd the gate in an attempt to board as early as possible, a phenomenon airline staff have given the foul nickname gate lice.In recent years, as the main c...
Condé Nast Traveler •

These 11 Culinary Traditions Just Got UNESCO Status, From Asturian Cider to Korean Jang

All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.In early December, UNESCO inscribed a brand new batch of international traditions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. The global roster is meant to honor and preserve cultural practices that date back centuries and are still in use today, from traditional performing arts and...
Condé Nast Traveler •

This Is the Ultimate Tool for Finding Under-the-Radar Destinations

Off-the-beaten-path travel destinations are set to be a major trend in 2025—and it's no surprise, considering the overtourism of popular destinations in Europe this summer and the record-shattering holiday travel season.While cities like Paris and Barcelona will always have their draw, "there will be an increased desire for authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences,” says a recent 2025 trend report from Booking.com. Similarly, Expedia’s trend forecasting shows that 63% of consumers are likely t...
Condé Nast Traveler •

The Most Exciting Train Routes Launching in 2025

With the launch of new train routes, high-speed rail projects, and ultra-luxury journeys, 2025 promises to be yet another exciting year for rail travel enthusiasts.In the US, travelers can expect to finally see long-awaited Amtrak updates, including the return of its New Orleans-bound route from Mobile, Alabama for the first time in 20 years, plus the rollout of the new high-speed Acela fleet on the Northeast Corridor. Further away, the so-called rail renaissance will also pick up speed, with pl...
Condé Nast Traveler •

The Most Exciting Air Travel Trends and Upgrades Coming in 2025

Aviation geeks have been following the launch of Airbus’s new A321XLR plane with bated breath. The new variant—whose letters stand for “extra long range”—is capable of flying 4,700 nautical miles. The compact, single-aisle aircraft is expected to allow airlines to add more exciting long-distance routes without bearing the financial burden of filling up a huge widebody plane. Plus it burns 30% less fuel, which means less carbon emitted, too. The plane made its first-ever commercial flight in Nove...
Condé Nast Traveler •

A New Program Invites National Park Visitors to Donate to Native American Tribes

Each summer, huge crowds of travelers flock to America's National Parks to experience pristine landscapes and marvel at natural wonders like Old Faithful, El Capitán, Horseshoe Bend, and the Grand Canyon.Now, a new first-of-its-kind donation program is giving the more than 300 million tourists who visit National Parks each year an opportunity to compensate the Indigenous people whose ancestral homelands and sacred sites are located within the US National Park system.The new program, called The S...
Condé Nast Traveler •

The Best Economy Seats for Long-Haul Flights

The New York-based carrier is one of the top US airlines in terms of legroom. Its Airbus A321 long-range planes, used for its transatlantic routes to Europe, are no exception. In regular economy, called “Core” on JetBlue, expect to see 32 inches of pitch and 18 inches of width, and three inches of recline at your seat. You’ll also find a headrest with adjustable wings and power outlets (though not enough for every passenger to have their own charging port). On planes that also feature Mint busin...
Condé Nast Traveler •

This European Country Gives Retirees Discounted Vacations

When it comes to retirement, many people envision spending their golden years traveling the world. Those aspirations, however, involve a lot of money, effort, and planning to execute.But did you know there’s a country that will actually take care of the majority of travel costs and logistics for its retirees to vacation? Spain, a country that consistently ranks among the best places in the world to retire, is the first country in the EU to give certain senior citizens and residents access to gre...
Condé Nast Traveler •

These New Airports Are Making Bucket-List Destinations More Accessible

The most difficult leg of a trip—especially on long international journeys—is making that last flight connection or lengthy ground transfer to your final destination. Those final couple hours in transit, when the effects of jet lag are rearing up and patience is running thin, can be laborious and time-consuming, but are often necessary in order to reach some of the world's most remote destinations.Now, a new crop of well-located airports seek to make some of these historically out-of-the-way reg...
Condé Nast Traveler •

Wave Season Is the Best Time to Score Cruise Deals—Here's How

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Before you wade into the endless list of deals, discounts, and bonus offers from cruise lines around the world, take some time to identify what your budget is and what type of cruise you actually want to take. “Travelers should know what they’re looking for before starting to do the research on the cruise they would like to book,...
Condé Nast Traveler •

The Cruise Trend That Allows Passengers to Experience the Nightlife at Their Destinations

Night owls, take note. Big changes are happening in the cruising industry that will help you explore a port of call more easily once the sun goes down. Historically, various factors—tight sailing schedules, old-fashioned itineraries that favor daytime activities, and a desire to maximize the time passengers spend in onboard restaurants and bars—have meant that gangplanks are usually up by cocktail hour. But with guests seeking ways to explore destinations more slowly and deliberately, cruise lin...
Condé Nast Traveler •

On a Viking Nile River Cruise, Exploring Lively Villages Alongside Ancient Marvels

The cacophony of motorbikes weaving among pedestrians on the unpaved streets of Esna, a village south of Luxor, is unceasing. Makeshift fruit stands and pita carts are crammed together cheek by jowl on the roadside. The warm, bready scent of the grilled dough wafts down the block. As I stroll the markets, jolly shop owners hawk the village's signature colorful tunics and galabia dresses. If Esna is known globally at all, it's for the eponymous ancient red stone temple on the banks of the Nile. O...
Condé Nast Traveler •

United’s New Flight to Jordan Is a Game Changer for Americans—Especially the Luxe Business Class Offering

Most international airlines have amassed such far-reaching route networks that even the most remote corners of the world feel connected and accessible to travelers. So it’s a rare phenomenon these days to feel like you’re boarding a flight that’s actually unique and historic. But United Airlines’ just-launched route between Washington, D.C.’s Dulles airport and Amman, Jordan, definitely fits that description. The new flight, which began operating on May 5, is the first-ever nonstop to Jordan for...
Load More