The beginning of the end for gate lice. The rise of destination dupes. A rebound year for Quackers. Keeping up with travel trends requires learning a very specific (and weird) vocabulary.
Around this time every year, travel media and online travel agencies release their lists for the trends we can expect to see in coming months. Some are obvious (hi, Paris and Rome); some are actually useful (airfare to East Asia is way down); and some are purely aspirational.
Based on our collective expertise, we came up with our own wish list for what we'd like to see more during our adventures this year -- and what we could do without. Some of these terms are our inventions, but feel free to steal them for yourself.
BETTER 'LOUNGING'
Enough with long lines, so-so food and uninspiring vibes: Bring back the fun of airport lounges. We dig the Spanish menu, roving cheesecake carts and warm decor of the Capital One Landing, a collaboration with celebrity chef José Andrés that opened in November at Reagan National Airport.
DESTINATION AIRPORTS
We don't want to spend time at soulless transportation hubs. Give us lively culinary, cultural and shopping destinations that just happen to have airplanes taking off and landing all around. Think of the music program at Nashville International, the local shops and restaurants and iconic carpet at Portland International's new main terminal and the new -- uh -- just about everything at New York's LaGuardia.
FEWER HOTEL FEES
We don't need the business center. We don't want to pay for local phone service. (We already have phones.) We are never going to use the in-room record player. So please stop charging us for them in the guise of resort fees! The Biden administration took aim at what it called "junk fees" with a Federal Trade Commission rule that requires hotels to show fees up front -- but that just means they can't surprise you with the charges. While we're at it, let's drop the pet fees, too.
'PUDDLING'
Try planning your trip around a small body of water. One of our highlights of the year was grabbing an Airbnb in Athens, New York, with its own kayak launch onto Sleepy Hollow Lake, just around the bend from the Hudson River.
'PLUSHENING'
Let's turn up the comfort on the road. We're wearing our fuzzy socks on the plane, packing our neck pillows on the bus, and dreaming of hotel stays with thicker bath towels and cloud-like pillows. Too much to ask?
'HOTDOGGING'
This is when you bring your own hot dogs to eat on a plane. Listen, airplane food can be suspect -- like the mouse that scampered out of a Scandinavian Airlines meal in September. It's a pro move to pack your own dinner. Might as well have some fun with it. Plus, it's better than that other type of -dogging everyone is talking about.
HOTEL ROOMS THAT MAKE SENSE
Please don't make us get an engineering degree to work the lights in the room or turn on the shower. Have mercy on the sleep-challenged and minimize light pollution. And for the love of all that is holy, make sure the bathroom has a door.
KEEP AIRLINES WEIRD
Last year had us wondering if budget airlines were on the endangered list. Spirit filed for bankruptcy. Southwest said it's eliminating its signature open-seating policy. Frontier unveiled a premium class.
Not everyone needs to be a normie like Delta or United. But budget airlines have a place in our hearts -- and our wallets. The quirks are part of their charm. Besides, flying home from Vegas on a red-eye in a no-recline middle seat is character-building.
'DRY-TRIPPING'
Vacationing without alcohol is the rare entry to the trend dictionary that we can get behind. So order a fancy tea or something fun and fizzy off the NA menu. Whatever your definition of sober is, there are more options for you.
CHEAPER TRAINS
And more U.S. rail routes, too. Traveling by train is an adventure unto itself and, relatedly, saves you from the hassle of security checks and baggage limits. We'd be all aboard all the time if the convenience of it could catch up. The Brightline from Vegas to L.A. can't come soon enough.
A CHECK ON GATE-CHECKING
No more room in the overhead bins? None at all? Please be sure before making me gate-check my bag. We know it's important to stay on time, but few things are more infuriating than handing over a bag unwillingly only to board and find plenty of storage space still available.
MORE 'SELFCATIONS'
Send yourself on a self-care, self-centered vacation. If you are traveling with friends or loved ones, self-cate by splintering off and doing whatever the heck you like.
NO RENTAL CAR SURPRISES
We don't want to have to come up with a Plan B in case the rental car company doesn't have cars on the lot. If we booked a car, have a car there! And while you're at it, don't push insurance if we don't need it, or hit us with bogus charges at the end.
'DETOURISM'
It doesn't always have to be about the bucket list. There are so many not-famous, not-overwhelmed places to visit. According to Expedia, some big ones this year will be Reims, France; Krabi, Thailand; and Girona, Spain.
STIMULUS TRIPS
Maui and Asheville need your support. And so will the next destination to be hit by a climate disaster. There are some caveats: If you're visiting a place that is in recovery mode, make sure they're ready and eager to welcome back tourists. And if volunteering is your thing, work with a trusted organization that can use the skills you have to offer.
LEISURE. JUST LEISURE.
There's too much mixing work and play. Take a page from the Europeans and use your vacation time. You can tell your boss we gave you permission.
BYE, AI
We know your chatbot is ready to plan a (potentially haphazard) day in a new city. And an AI-powered help desk may get you to your solution quickly. But isn't talking to strangers part of the charm of travel? Let's resolve to get our tips from actual humans.