The travel brand catapulted a suitcase 130,000 feet through the atmosphere to demonstrate its strength, and they captured the whole thing on video.
Use AI to plan your next vacation
I’m going to Europe soon, and planning my trip was a breeze. Yes, really! AI did a big chunk of the work for me — and it can help you plan your next getaway, too. Here are a few ways to turn AI into your travel agent. For this, let’s stick with using the big bots:
- ChatGPT: My preferred AI chatbot; gives the best results.
- Gemini: Google’s chatbot is integrated into Google Flights and Google Hotels. I don’t think it’s as thorough as ChatGPT, and it often throws in its weird opinions.
1. Start with your likes and wants
Your AI travel buddy can do so much more than suggest tourist traps — it can help you create a truly tailored adventure.
🎨 By interests
AI can curate a list of spots that match your hobbies:
- “Find me the best food tours in Paris that include wine tastings.”
- “What are some scenic hiking trails within 30 miles of Denver?”
- “Suggest must-see art galleries in NYC for modern art lovers.”
☀️ By weather
AI can suggest destinations based on your preferred climate:
- “Find me a warm destination in the U.S. for January with average temps above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.”
- “What are the best ski resorts in Wyoming for late December?”
- “Where can I play golf in May with mild, spring-like weather?”
🎭 By occasion or vibe
Not sure where you want to go? Let AI find the perfect match for your mood:
Samsonite's lightest suitcase completes a groundbreaking journey to the edge of space
Practical presents
🎁 Useful gifts they’ll appreciate … because no one needs another ugly sweater.
- Everyone hates ironing. This travel steam iron is so much easier. Click the coupon box for 25% off.
- Give the gift of coziness with a zip-up fleece jacket for under $30. Every guy I know would wear one.
- Feel safer with a Ring floodlight cam (40% off) — or use it to finally catch the dog digging up your flowers in the middle of the night.
- Get the doodler in your life a reusable spiral notebook (under $30 and 17% off!).
- Figure out how good the acoustics in your bathroom really are with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker for under $50.
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🪟 A little fun: Window Swap lets you view the world from another person’s window. I saw a tree swaying in the wind in Warsaw, Poland, and a dreamy ocean view in Honolulu. It’s a lot of fun!
Is this travel hack clever or crossing the line?
Social media’s hottest travel tip helps you snag better seats without paying extra but it’s not without controversy.
You heard it here first: In May 2023, I told you about TSA’s facial recognition program. Basically, you look into the camera and it takes your pic to verify you. Now, some senators are saying the TSA wants it mandatory in over 430 airports, but we don’t know where this data is going or how it’s protected. You can opt out: Step back from the camera, politely tell them you decline facial recognition and present your ID instead.
130,000 feet
How far a Samsonite suitcase fell without taking any damage. The travel brand catapulted the suitcase through the atmosphere to demonstrate its strength, and they captured the whole thing on video.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
💰 Your go-to rideshare app may not offer the best deals, depending on your location. Type your pickup and drop-off points into RideGuru to get a comparison of rideshare options in your area, including Uber, Lyft, Curb, Ola Cabs and DiDi Rider.
Smaller or regional options (like those names above you probably don’t recognize) can be a lot cheaper than Uber. Try Wingz, too, if you’re scheduling a ride to the airport in advance.
Speaking of, many airports add an expensive rideshare fee that gets passed along to you. I know someone who takes the airport shuttle to the nearest hotel or parking area instead of directly to the airport, and they catch an Uber from there to their destination instead.
Traveling is hard enough
✈️ These stress savers are worth it and make great gifts for the travel lover in your life, too.
- Stop letting your loved ones touch the icky airplane seat pockets. A seat-back organizer ($30) rocks.
- A $12 travel cup holder frees up your hands for when you’re late and running through the airport … because a preflight Starbucks run is non-negotiable.
- Don’t use those gross airline-provided headphones. A wireless audio transmitter ($55) connects to any Bluetooth headphones.
- Twist this travel pillow ($22) to whatever shape you need to get comfy on road trips and long-haul flights.
- Airplane foot hammocks are going viral online, and I get it. Attach it to the tray table and never lose feeling in your legs again — for under 20 bucks!
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🔒 Keep your passport safe: Don’t carry it around with you on vacation. A photo of it is good enough in almost all cases, so snap a pic and show that on your phone. Bonus: The pic will make getting a new passport much easier if you lose it or it gets stolen. If you truly need the real thing, secure it close to your body. I like this option.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Traveling solo? Share your location with your family and friends. On iPhone, open the Find My app and tap People (bottom of the screen) > + (plus icon) > Share My Location. Then, select a contact, hit Send and choose the duration. In Google Maps, tap your profile icon (top right) > Location sharing > New Share and send the link through your messaging app. Safe travels!
✈️ PSA for if your holiday flight is canceled: You’re entitled to a full refund or compensation for any controllable cancellation caused by the airline, like a maintenance or crew issue. The weather, though, is a wholly different beast. Be sure to download your airline’s official app for alerts and notifications about flights and gate changes.
✈️ Flying away? Uber has three new features to make your airport trips easier. The first, UberXXL, gets you a bigger car with extra trunk space for groups. The second, UberX Share, allows you to pay 25% by sharing a ride with someone heading your way. It’s available now at select airports. And finally, with Uber Reserve, you can have a car waiting for you when you land.
🌲 Over the river and through the woods: See the best time to leave for Grandma’s house (or anywhere else) without arguing. In Apple Maps, press the Now button on the left to open a calendar. In Google Maps, tap the three dots at the top right. For both, select Leave/Depart at or Arrive by and hit Done.
Skip the lines at U.S. Customs: The Mobile Passport app is your secret weapon. It’s free, secure, and lets you submit your passport and customs info right from your phone — no forms needed! Plus, you get access to fast-track lanes at participating airports and cruise ports.
Travel trick to know where you luggage is
Instead of relying on the airlines to get it right, do this to know where your bag is. Heck, you may even help them find it if it goes missing.
⚠️ Traveling overseas? No bueno: There’s a terrifying new trend happening all over the globe: Kidnapping tourists for ransoms. A Venezuelan man, for instance, used a dating app to lure in three American tourists over a month-long stretch in the Dominican Republic. He’d arrange a date, pick up the person in his car, and then an accomplice would hop in to help him restrain his dates. All three victims were held at knifepoint and forced to call friends and family for money. So scary.
✈️ This new rule is so fly: Woohoo! U.S. airlines now have to give you a cash refund if your flight is significantly delayed or canceled. The best part? It’ll happen automatically; you won’t be required to ask for a refund. Airlines will have to pay you back within seven business days if you paid by credit card or 20 calendar days for other payment methods. See ya, vouchers.
Bit by the travel bug
✈️ These affordable gadgets will make your next trip smoother.
- Can’t sleep in hotels? Try a portable white noise machine to block thumps and bumps (33% off, $19.99).
- A phone holder that attaches to anything, including your suitcase, plane seat or hotel bed ($13.97; click the coupon box for 8% off!).
- Fit more in your suitcase with space-saving bags you can roll the air out of, no vacuum required ($15.76).
- Before international travel, make sure you can plug in your stuff. Each option here lists what countries it works in (6% to 28% off).
- Protect your credit card and keep it close with an RFID-blocking wallet bag. It clips around your waist, and it’s slim enough to fit under your clothes (20% off, $15.95).
- A $12 luggage scale might save you from a huge overage fee if your bag is too heavy.
- Attach an extra bag to your suitcase with this strap so it can’t fall off (50% off, $6.99).
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🏰 Vacation tip: A guy traveling in Italy used ChatGPT as his tour guide, but he got creative and prompted the bot to play a more engaging role. Instead of outputting boring, dry facts, at the Pantheon, ChatGPT told him, “When you enter, look up,” then added a little history. I had ChatGPT do a travel itinerary for me for when I visited Berlin, Vienna and Paris, and it was great. You might want to try that, too!