The Weekly Newsletter: September 24, 2021 Edition

What in the world is going on?

Good question – a whole lot, actually. But don’t panic, that’s what we’re here for: to help you break down this week’s biggest travel stories. Welcome to KAYAK’s weekly newsletter! Your new partner in content for all things travel news and making the most of your next adventure.

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The pre-check

With COVID-19 requirements shifting, new transportation technology, and a casual volcano eruption, here is your weekly check-in for the world of travel.

• The British are coming. On Monday, the Biden administration announced it would lighten-up on travel restrictions for vaccinated UK and EU citizens traveling to the US, starting in November. Which is, like, a big deal if you’ve been missing your friends and family across the pond. More on this announcement here.
• The Bali is in their court. On Tuesday, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan announced that Indonesia is ~thinking~ about letting foreign tourists visit Bali and other parts of the country by October. This is big news for countries with low virus spread, like South Korea, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand. Too bad the US isn’t on said VIP list, yet. More on this exclusive invite here.
• Speaking of not being invited, the US announced on Monday that Canadian and Mexican citizens still aren’t invited to party in the USA. The restrictions on the US land borders are extended through October 21 for all non-essential travel, including tourism. So close and yet, so far. More on this extension here.
• Meet the newest lean, green, French machine. Last Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France’s high-speed trains, known as TGV’s, would be getting an eco-friendly makeover. These optimized models are expected to carry more passengers, use a fraction of the current model’s electricity and go super-duper fast. More about the new choo-choos here.
• Where the ground is actually lava. On Monday, there was a volcanic eruption on the Spanish Island of La Palma in the Canary Islands. Cumbre Vieja erupted for the first time in 50 years, causing both residents and tourists to evacuate. Spanish Tourism Minister, Reyes Maroto, doesn’t see it as a problem – if anything, it’s like another tourist attraction. Right…more on that hot take here.

Trending travel

Here’s what is trending according to our data and how it can help you make the most of your trip.

What’s the deal for traveling this holiday season? Escaping the cold.

Whether it be to the Caribbean, Mexico, or a bucket-list destination in Latin America, holiday travel for 2021 is heating up. Searches for flights to tropical destinations, including Punta Cana, Cancun and St. Thomas are up 79%* compared to 2019. Moving further south, places like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in Brazil are seeing price drops between 19 – 30%* compared to 2019.

Even if heading somewhere below the border isn’t exactly on your radar, you could still save cash by migrating south this holiday. Popular destinations such as Nashville, Austin, Dallas and Miami are some of the most affordable destinations this holiday season.

Our advice? Fly on an actual holiday.

Though it’s not ideal, it’s still a deal. Our advice to save on holiday travel would be to consider flying on Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve for cheaper options. Another way to finance your holiday travel could be to use flexible payment options, like using Uplift when booking your travel through KAYAK so you can pay over time.

Top trending and deal destinations

Top trending destinations

1. Punta Cana, DR (average price of $697): Search is up 233% compared to 2019
2. Male, Maldives (average price of $1,203): Search is up 186% compared to 2019
3. Knoxville, TN (average price of $394): Search is up 116% compared to 2019
4. Cancun, MX (average price of $541 ): Search is up 103% compared to 2019
5. Key West, FL (average price of $487): Search is up 97% compared to 2019
6. St. Thomas, USVI (average price of $662): Search is up 91% compared to 2019
7. Bozeman, MT (average price of $407 ): Search is up 83% compared to 2019
8. Cozumel, MX (average price of $615 ): Search is up 82% compared to 2019
9. Castries, St. Lucia (average price of $922): Search is up 81% compared to 2019
10. Simpson Bay, St. Maarten (average price of $733): Search is up 79% compared to 2019

Top deals

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (average price of $848) Fares have dropped 30% compared to 2019
2. São Paulo, Brazil (average price of $854) Fares have dropped 30% compared to 2019
3. Lisbon, Portugal (average price of $605) Fares have dropped 28% compared to 2019
4. Cali, Colombia (average price of $650) Fares have dropped 24% compared to 2019
5. Medellín, Colombia (average price of $587) Fares have dropped 23% compared to 2019
6. Bogotá, Colombia (average price of $594) Fares have dropped 22% compared to 2019
7. Cairo, Egypt (average price of $825) Fares have dropped 21% compared to 2019
8. Lima, Peru (average price of $698) Fares have dropped 19% compared to 2019
9. Bozeman, Montana (average price of $407) Fares have dropped 17% compared to 2019
10. Panama City, Panama (average price of $645) Fares have dropped 16% compared to 2019

Off the beaten path

Where we share stories, tips, or hacks that might’ve been missed in your usual content feed.

A new kind of jet fuel: A plane flew on recycled cooking oil

British Airways tried something fun last week: they flew a “perfect flight” powered by recycled cooking oil. In a USA Today report, flight BA1476 was reported to be the first passenger flight “directly powered” by sustainable oil that was blended at 35% with traditional jet fuel and completely carbon-neutral.

We love a good reduce, reuse, recycle moment.

Wish we were here

Special shoutout to @pengue_a, for this photo of Évora, Portugal.

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Links in this Newsletter are for informational purposes only, and there is no affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement by or with KAYAK Software Corporation whatsoever.

*Methodology: KAYAK considered both flight and car searches from the US locale between July 1, 2021 and August 31, 2021 for travel over the winter holidays (November 12, 2021 through January 7, 2021). To compare year over year and year over two year findings, KAYAK considered flight searches for the same time period one and two years prior.