Visiting a new country is a privilege, but heading abroad — especially for the first time — can also be overwhelming. With so much to discover, tourists may find themselves experiencing sensory overload. Though your new surroundings are bound to have a profound impact in such circumstances, it’s important that your reaction doesn’t provoke annoyance among the local population. Take a look at six of the most annoying things tourists do abroad so that you can try not to follow suit. 

Clog Up Tourist Hot Spots With a Photo Shoot

While there’s no harm in grabbing a quick selfie or souvenir photo, some tourists take the concept to extremes. It’s not a problem, so long as others aren’t impacted. But in popular spots, roads and sidewalks can quickly become clogged, and the lack of respect shown for others can really start to grate. Sometimes, locals fight back: In 2023, the city of Portofino, Italy, introduced no-waiting zones; later the same year, a road was closed in Pomfret, Vermont, to deny visiting fall foliage selfie-takers the chance to disrupt local traffic. 

Confuse Your Heritage With Your Place of Birth

Travelers often seek to find common ground with those they encounter along their journey. United by shared interests or backgrounds, they feel an affinity to the place they’re visiting, and those valuable connections create lasting memories. However, a word to the wise: Having a great-great-grandfather who was born in Ireland does not make you Irish. Your family might, of course, enthusiastically and diligently maintain certain traditions and customs that celebrate your heritage and have helped mold your identity. Nevertheless, semantics matter — being Irish American (of Irish descent and living in the United States), for example, is different from someone who was born and still lives there. During a visit, don’t be shy about revealing your heritage, but be clear where your own story began — the locals will appreciate you for it.

Try To Cover Too Much Ground in Too Little Time

If you live in North America, you might be aware that the amount of paid time off employees receive is typically stingy in comparison to what people get in other parts of the world, such as Europe. Chances are, you’ll also be used to making long journeys. So, when your vacation allowance is dwindling, it can be tempting to plan as much sightseeing as possible on a long-haul trip. However, where population densities are higher, so too is the concentration of visitor attractions and the traffic you’ll encounter between them. Thus, you may want to reconsider if your planned itinerary covers six European countries in only two weeks — hurriedly rushing from site to site not only will cause stress, but also might irritate those who realize such places are far more rewarding when given more time.  

Tip Where It’s Not a Thing 

Adding a tip for your server is routine in some parts of the world, and in the U.S., many service sector workers have come to rely on gratuities. However, this practice is not universal, and elsewhere, a higher minimum wage means that employees aren’t so reliant on tips to top up their wages. In some countries, tipping not only is not expected but also can be considered rude. but in places where international travelers have repeatedly ignored this cultural norm, businesses have often sought to capitalize on the practice. To locals, however, a newly installed tip jar in a café can feel unwelcome. After your check has been settled, generously depositing a fistful of notes or coins could annoy the regular clientele if they think they might be judged for not following suit. 

Complain There’s No Ice

If you’re used to being presented with a large glass of iced water at a restaurant or filling your cup full of ice cubes at a soda fountain, it can feel strange to be in a place where that’s not the norm. In Europe, for example, if you want a glass of water, you’d be expected to ask for it, and if you don’t specify that you mean tap water, you’ll be charged for a bottle. And though a cold drink is likely to be served chilled, don’t expect the glass that accompanies it to contain more than a few cubes of ice (if any). Instead of complaining about it, politely ask for ice, and locals will usually be happy to oblige. 

Be Too Loud

Culture and background have an influence on how loudly it is deemed appropriate to talk. A volume that’s normal to one nationality can be considered rude by another. Being unaware of your indoor voice can be a huge faux pas when traveling overseas on public transit, dining out, or visiting quiet attractions such as museums. Likewise, no one wants to relax beside the pool and have to listen to other people’s conversations over their own. Avoid incurring the wrath of fellow tourists and locals alike by respecting the fact that it’s their space, too. Listen for a minute and gauge what’s appropriate for where you are, then set your own volume to match. 

One of the most important steps of the air travel process is identity verification — for everyone’s safety, the airline and TSA officials need to make sure it’s really you boarding the plane. With that in mind, a growing number of airports in the U.S. and worldwide are experimenting with facial recognition technology, which aims to make the verification process more secure — and potentially cut down the amount of time this step of the security process takes. So, how does it work? And can you opt out over privacy concerns? Here’s what you need to know about using facial recognition at airports.

How Facial Recognition Technology Works

At airport security checkpoints enabled with facial recognition technology, eligible travelers will have their photo taken to verify their identity, in addition to presenting their physical form of identification. The software matches the image taken of the traveler to their passport or license to ensure it’s really them traveling. The traveler’s photo is then deleted shortly afterward, according to the TSA. The technology has potential benefits not only for checkpoint efficiency but also for tightening security. “It’s the future because it’s so much more effective than a manual comparison. This is better for security,” TSA administrator David Pekoske told CBS News.

Where Facial Recognition Is Available

After being introduced in 2019, facial recognition technology is now available at TSA checkpoints at more than 30 airports in the U.S. In the future, the TSA says it hopes to expand the technology to 400 more airports nationwide. The technology isn’t just being used at standard preboarding security checkpoints, either. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says more than 230 border checkpoints in additional U.S. airports — where passengers pass through after international flights — also utilize facial recognition. 

What Is Touchless ID? 

For now, travelers will still have to present their physical ID in addition to having their photo taken. But the TSA is trialing a program for TSA PreCheck members, in partnership with several airlines, called Touchless ID. It works by having travelers submit scans of their identity documents to the airline’s app; the software then compares the photo taken at the security checkpoint with the scanned document the traveler has already uploaded. Participating airlines allow travelers to use the technology for check-in and bag drop-off, too, which could be a big time-saver at the airport. 

Delta, which calls its version of the program Delta Digital ID, is available only to members of its SkyMiles loyalty program who have a U.S. passport and are also enrolled in TSA PreCheck. Travelers will need to opt into the program by adding the Known Traveler Number that comes with PreCheck enrollment on the airline’s website or app. As of mid-2024, the pilot program is available at Delta’s hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York (both JFK Airport and LaGuardia). 

United Airlines’ Touchless ID is available to customers who have TSA PreCheck. Eligible travelers can access the technology to make use of the airline’s bag drop shortcut, and won’t need to show their boarding pass or physical ID at the checkpoint or to board the plane. As is the case with Delta, these touchless checkpoints are available only at select airports as of 2024, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Newark. 

Can You Opt Out of Facial Recognition? 

In short, yes. The TSA states, “Travelers who do not wish to participate in the facial recognition technology process may decline the optional photo, without recourse, in favor of an alternative identity verification process, which does not use facial recognition technology to verify their identity.”

All you need to do is notify the TSA officer or airline employee before your picture is taken and request the standard verification process. Then, agents will manually check your passport or other form of government identification, as well as your boarding pass (though the TSA is also expanding a program where travelers don’t have to show their boarding passes).

However, there’s an important caveat: The U.S. Customs and Border Protection says that only U.S. citizens and permanent residents can opt out of having their picture taken at border checkpoints upon arrival after an international flight. All other international travelers will need to have their picture taken at checkpoints where facial recognition technology is enabled.

Flying from Point A to Point B should take the same amount of time in each direction, right? Well, not exactly. Take, for example, a flight from Los Angeles to New York — the eastbound flight might be scheduled for 5 hours and 15 minutes, but on the return leg, you’ll find the time to be nearly an hour longer. This isn’t because the return flight takes a different route or the skies are busier at certain times of day. Find out why flying in an airplane takes longer if you’re flying westbound versus eastbound.

What Is the Jet Stream?

The simple answer that explains why flights take longer when traveling westbound is wind. More specifically, it’s because of the jet stream, a rapidly moving air current found high in the atmosphere that circulates from west to east. Japanese meteorologist Wasaburo Oishi first wrote about the phenomenon in the 1920s, finding in his experiments with weather balloons that the jet stream is strongest approximately 6 to 8 miles above Earth’s surface — about the altitude that most commercial jets fly today.

Jet streams form because of both the planet’s rotation and the uneven distribution of surface temperatures (colder at the poles, warmer in the tropics). As the warmer and cooler air masses meet, they form a fast-moving current of air high in the atmosphere. By planetary standards, jet streams are pretty narrow — typically reaching about 100 miles across. And there isn’t just one jet stream, but several, including the most prominent polar and subtropical streams.

How Jet Streams Affect Flight Planning

Flight dispatchers and route planners make careful note of the jet streams when determining flight paths. Not only do they shift locations from north to south, but jet streams also vary in strength depending on season. They tend to be strongest in winter, reaching maximum speeds of up to 275 mph and becoming less intense during the summer months. 

These changes also affect flight schedules, as Cathay Pacific Airways’ head of line operations explains. In 2023, the airline’s shortest flight time on its regular route from Hong Kong to Los Angeles was 12 hours and 12 minutes in December, while the longest flight during that same year was 13 hours and 38 minutes in July. 

Because the jet stream is stronger in winter and the plane is flying westbound, in the direction of the prevailing winds, the December flight time was shortened by the jet essentially being able to “ride” the jet stream and being propelled by tailwinds. On the way back, flying the same route would mean going up against headwinds that add considerably to the flight time. By carefully planning flights around these jet streams, airlines can cut down on fuel costs and save time spent in the air.

If jet streams are particularly strong, you might also find some surprising flight plans. According to Cathay Pacific, in 2022 the airline operated some flights from New York to Hong Kong across the Atlantic, instead of the usual route over the Pacific. Though flying across the Atlantic was longer in distance, according to the airline, the “strong winds made it quicker to hitch a lift with the Atlantic jet stream. We saved 45 minutes.”

The Impact on Long-Haul Flights

While jet streams can account for a difference of about an hour on a transcontinental flight in the U.S., the effect is more noticeable on transcontinental flights such as the aforementioned example. But flying from Los Angeles to Hong Kong is far from the longest flight you can take these days — thanks to advancements in aircraft technology, it’s now possible to fly nonstop between such far-flung places as Singapore and New York, which is currently the world’s longest flight.

However, as route planners push the range of an aircraft up to its limits, any variations in the jet stream can cause headaches. Take, for instance, Air New Zealand’s longest route, from Auckland to New York. The journey typically takes 17.5 hours, but if there’s a particularly strong jet stream, the aircraft will be forced to take on more weight in fuel, which means the airline has sometimes been forced to bump passengers or fly without their bags, according to aviation website Simple Flying.

Scientists also believe that the jet stream is responsible for a phenomenon known as clear air turbulence, which has been impacting more flights as of late. Aircraft flying near the edge of the jet stream can encounter this type of turbulence due to differences in wind speed, but the turbulence can be tricky to predict, as it often happens in cloudless skies and doesn’t show up on radar. That’s why it’s always important to pay attention to flight attendants’ instructions and keep your seat belt fastened while seated.

For much of the 20th century, Pan American World Airways — better known as Pan Am — was synonymous with intercontinental travel. As the unofficial flag carrier of the United States, Pan Am jumbo jets could be seen at airports across the world, and to many, the airline represented a more glamorous age of aviation. The trailblazing carrier ceased operations in 1991, but if you thought the Pan Am brand was long gone, think again: The airline recently announced its return to the skies in 2025 with a special 12-day trip around the world. Here are all the details.

An Iconic Brand

Pan American Airways was founded in 1927 and, like many of the world’s oldest airlines, traces its roots back to carrying airmail. Passenger service started a year later, and in the 1930s, Pan Am started flying long-range flying boats — the “Clippers” the airline became famous for — and introduced around-the-world flights. In 1958, Pan Am was the first airline to fly the Boeing 707, one of the world’s first passenger jets, which it used to further expand its international footprint as America’s unofficial flag carrier airline. 

The following decade, Pan Am was also the first to introduce the iconic Boeing 747 jumbo jet. In the airline’s heyday of the 1950s and ’60s, it offered flights to 86 destinations on every continent except Antarctica. It was during this era that Pan Am became a cultural icon, representative of the glamour of a new age of intercontinental air travel. 

But in 1978, the U.S. deregulated its aviation industry, meaning the government no longer set routes, schedules, and prices. As a result, Pan Am faced new competitive pressures and saw a sharp decline in its finances throughout the 1980s, before ultimately declaring bankruptcy in 1991. Though the airline’s trademark logo is no longer a fixture of global aviation, the Pan Am brand has endured as a remarkable symbol of a bygone era. 

An Exclusive Journey

In 2025, the Pan Am brand will once again take to the skies thanks to a partnership with Criterion Travel and Bartelings Associates. But there’s a catch — the airline won’t be offering regular scheduled passenger flights as it once did. Rather, this will be a special 12-day chartered journey retracing Pan Am’s original transatlantic routes. And it won’t come cheap: Prices for this once-in-a-lifetime trip start at a cool $59,950 per person, and the experience will be limited to just 50 passengers.

It all starts on June 27, 2025, in New York City, which was once Pan Am’s headquarters and biggest hub. From there, the 50 lucky passengers will spend nearly two weeks flying across the Atlantic and around Europe, as Pan Am’s earliest customers did almost a century ago on its flying boats. This time, though, passengers will fly on a Boeing 757 outfitted with modern amenities and spacious seats that convert into fully flat beds. The itinerary includes stops in Bermuda; Lisbon, Portugal; Marseille, France; London, England; and Foynes, Ireland. 

As you’d expect for the price hefty tag, the experience will be top-notch and will be hosted by Craig Carter, the CEO of Pan American World Airways (the company which has licensed the former airline’s brand and logo). The package includes an open bar on all flights, luxury stays and gourmet meals in hotels like the Savoy in London, and special experiences such as a visit to a Pan Am Clipper replica in Ireland. The trip concludes on July 8, 2025, back in New York. If you miss this inaugural trip (or, understandably, need more time to save up), Carter says this will be “the first of many exclusive themed flights back into the luxury travel space.”

Other Ways To Experience the “Golden Age” of Aviation 

It definitely doesn’t hurt to dream, but given the price, the reality is that most of us won’t be experiencing Pan Am’s splashy return to the skies next year. However, if you find yourself nostalgic for the so-called “golden age” of aviation, the airline also plans to bring back its popular Pan Am Experience. Though details are yet to be announced, the event will be hosted on a re-created Pan Am passenger jet in Los Angeles, where guests will be able to enjoy dinner and drinks aboard and step back into the 1960s for an evening.

During Pan Am’s peak, one of its biggest rivals was TWA (Trans World Airlines). Though that airline is also now defunct, its iconic former terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport has been turned into a luxury hotel that preserves much of its original design and features a vintage jet age-inspired theme throughout. Guests can delve into aviation history at the iconic Sunken Lounge, overlooking a giant retro departures board, or spend a memorable evening on the Lockheed Constellation parked outside that’s been turned into a cocktail bar. 

For flight attendants, long layovers, last-minute trips, and changing climates are part of the job — which means they need to be prepared for just about anything. This makes them an excellent resource for packing tips. From must-have essentials to surprising items you probably haven’t thought of, these are the items that flight attendants always pack in their carry-on bags.

Hydration Essentials

A lot happens to your body on an airplane, but one of the worst side effects is dehydration. As family medicine physician Dr. Goldman explains, “About 50% of the air circulating in the cabin is pulled from the outside, and at high altitudes, the air is almost completely devoid of moisture.” This causes your skin, throat, and nose to feel dry. 

Since flight attendants take to the skies multiple times daily, they know this feeling better than anyone. One flight attendant shared with Daily Passport that she carries a 50-ounce reusable water bottle every time she flies, stopping to fill it up in the terminal before each flight. She also recommends taking your regular skin care products (as long as they’re less than 3.4 fluid ounces), along with body lotion and chapstick. After all, no one wants to start a vacation with dry or irritated skin.

Lost Luggage Kit 

There are few worse feelings as an airline passenger than finding out your luggage has been lost, especially if it happens en route to your destination. To avoid being left without essential items in a faraway place, pack a lost luggage kit in your carry-on. Emily, an Australian flight attendant, shared on TikTok that this is the one step you should never skip while packing. “Always, always, always have a small packing cube filled with essentials like a spare change of clothes and toiletries. That way, if your checked luggage is lost or delayed, you’ll have enough to get by comfortably for at least a couple of days,” she says.

Medication 

It might sound surprising, but some travelers pack their medication in their checked luggage, which can lead to big problems during a delay. Not only can medication be lost in checked luggage, but you might not be able to find the replacement medication you need at your destination, especially if you’re traveling abroad. Avoid these concerns by keeping medication with you at all times.

Marissa, a flight attendant from the U.S. Midwest, shared on TikTok that she always carries two different pill boxes in her carry-on. One contains nonprescription medications, such as headache or allergy medication, to use as needed. The second pill organizer contains her daily prescription medications, vitamins, and supplements. 

Valuable Items

If you’re traveling for a special event like a wedding, chances are you’re bringing along valuables such as jewelry, watches, or even cash in a card for the happy couple. If this is the case, always keep any valuable or irreplaceable belongings with you in your carry-on. In the event that your luggage is lost — or worse, stolen — you’ll be glad to have these items. Not only do flight attendants recommend this, but so does the Transportation Security Administration. The TSA warns against putting valuables in checked luggage and offers private screenings by request for valuables to maintain your discretion at the security checkpoint.

Noise-Canceling Headphones 

This is one accessory that will change how you fly. When they aren’t working, you’ll often find flight attendants wearing noise-canceling headphones — and many recommend that passengers try them, too. One social media travel influencer, KJ, who is the daughter of a flight attendant, lists the device as one of her carry-on essentials. “Even if you’re not listening to music, just to put on the noise canceling when you’re trying to sleep — game-changer.” 

She prefers Bose QuietComfort Headphones, which are also bluetooth-enabled, so you’ll have no tangled cords in your bag. If you’d like to connect your wireless headphones to your personal screen on the plane, remember to purchase a Bluetooth adapter. It plugs into the headphone jack on the side of the screen, allowing your headphones to connect to the in-flight entertainment.

Snacks

Although passengers often have the option to purchase food on a flight, many flight attendants love bringing their own snacks in their carry-ons. “I also bring my own little snack bag, so I don’t have to pay airport prices — and I get to eat what I like if I don’t love the onboard options,” a flight attendant shared with Daily Passport. Not only will you save money at the airport, but you’ll also save time scouring through lackluster snack options. Additionally, packing snacks is essential if you have food allergies or sensitivities, because the last place you’d want to have a flare-up is on a flight. 

Bulky Clothing

If you’re packing for a cold-weather journey, you might have trouble fitting your boots and winter jacket in your luggage. Instead, take them with you on the plane — not in your carry-on, but on your body. When sharing tips for packing light, flight attendant Bernice recommended on TikTok that passengers wear their bulkiest clothing while flying. This also helps with weight limits in checked luggage and space limitations in your carry-on. 

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