No interest in football? Plan some European travel next summer, between 11 June and 19 July. The first of those dates is when the football World Cup kicks off at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City; the second is the day of the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just west of New York City. Those matches bracket a further 100-plus games, during which the attention of the world will be on 16 venues stretching from Guadalajara to Toronto. Transatlantic air fares and hotel rates in the host cities will be distorted by this sporting extravaganza. And while the Mediterranean won't exactly be quiet during those 39 days, evidence from previous tournaments shows some people prefer not to travel while they follow their team on screen. So expect a drop in demand, along with crowds and prices, for everything from package holidays to cruises. Love football? Get planning now. This week, after an extraordinary match against Denmark, Scotland joined England in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. This is a tournament on an absurd scale, stretching from Massachusetts to Mexico – and from Miami to Canada, as The Proclaimers sang with some prescience in "Letter from America". The distance from Florida's largest city to Vancouver, both host venues, is nearly 3,000 miles. The 16 hosts are divided into Western, Central and Eastern sectors. But no one knows where England, Scotland or any of the other incoming teams will be playing; the opening group games will be decided in the draw two weeks today, on 5 December. As soon as the venues and opponents are revealed, prices will soar. So my advice: book a return flight now to one of the eastern cities. There is only a 27 per cent chance of your team being drawn in the Western sector along the Pacific coast; a one-in-three prospect of the central region (a Tex-Mex combo, with Kansas City added to the mix); but a 40 per cent likelihood of playing group matches in the east. Philadelphia and Atlanta have reasonably priced fares from both London Heathrow and Edinburgh right now. Onward transportation links are good, should you discover that England or Scotland are going west rather than playing in the east. Don't fret about hotels; rates will leap from 5 December, then some will quietly fall in the weeks and days before the World Cup begins. For fans who simply want to soak up the atmosphere: choose Guadalajara in southwest Mexico – conveniently outside one of the many Mexican "no-go" areas to which the Foreign Office warns against travel. Living costs are low. The atmosphere will be super-festive four decades on from the last time Mexico hosted the World Cup. And Pacific beaches are only a bus ride away. Missing link: Row over guards on trains delays opening of East West Line Cardiff to Canada: WestJet to link South Wales with Toronto next summer
Split savings: Rail ticket tricks to cut the cost of Christmas trips
Bali scare: Is the Indonesian island safe after volcano threat? |
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Game on: Kansas City is one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup |
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| | With a new airport, the Southeast Asian country should be an affordable alternative to tourism big hitters. Read more. |
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| Following the opening of the GEM Museum, now is the ideal time to take to the Nile. Read more. |
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| From top-class dining to overwater bungalows and private beaches. Read more. |
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Last Friday and Saturday, I spent a disagreeable evening telling people where they couldn't go. On Friday evening, around 100 staff working for Blue Islands, an airline based in the Channel Islands, discovered they would be out of work by the morning. Blue Islands sadly followed Eastern Airways into oblivion. Passengers with flights booked between Jersey, Guernsey and Britain learnt their reservations were toast and they would need to claim the cost of their now-useless tickets back from their bank.
Yet out of a dismal shambles, travel opportunities. Airlines have been falling over each other to launch new routes between the Channel Islands and the mainland. Loganair, the Glasgow-based carrier, swooped in with replacement flights for key Blue Islands routes, helped by £1.5m of Jersey government cash. Aurigny, owned by the government of Guernsey, immediately launched a twice-daily flight across to Jersey and frequent flights to and from Southampton, saying: "We are your airline, we're here, and we're always for home." And this morning British Airways has announced its return to Guernsey after 23 years, with a daily year-round jet link from Heathrow. Aurigny may be dismayed at the potential impact from a giant competitor on its current propeller flights to and from Gatwick. But for islanders and visitors, the BA link will be transformational. I have a soft spot for Guernsey (the island was the first place I ever flew) and have duly bought a ticket for day one, price £37. There are even rumours that a low-cost carrier may connect Guernsey with other airports in London and northwest England. Another improbable link that British Airways announced first thing this morning: a summer-only from Heathrow to Tivat in Montenegro. The new route could make sense for BA. This small Adriatic airport is well served from other London airports: easyJet from Gatwick and Luton, Jet2 from Stansted. Yet travellers living on the west side of London are relatively underserved for Mediterranean destinations (which is why easyJet is considering moving in to LHR). British Airways is testing new destinations for its short-haul fleet during the middle of the day in summer, when business travellers do not fly so much. |
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GWR rolls out ultra-fast internet: Do rail travellers want to stay connected? |
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As Great Western Railway rolls out a train with ultra-fast internet, this week I'm asking whether the wifi will receive a great reception from travellers. Will you be logging on to tap away on the tracks, or would you rather stay disconnected and enjoy the view? Vote using the buttons above. Last week, I asked whether Ryanair's move to paperless boarding passes was a good idea from the low-cost airline, or unfair on those not comfortable using apps. The results were overwhelming, with 83% saying they disagreed with the move. |
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All change at the UK's third-busiest airport. Starting this week, easyJet flights to and from Manchester operate from the shiny modern Terminal 2, alongside Jet2 and a host of other carriers, from Emirates to Singapore Airlines. EasyJet says: "This move is part of Manchester airport's project designed to bring upgraded facilities and an even better travel experience for customers." Three-quarters of passengers are now using Terminal 2.
On the other side of Manchester airport – Terminals 1 and 3 – the only airline left is Ryanair. Access is changing as, in the words of the airport, "work continues to improve Terminal 3". Instead of heading for Terminal 3, Ryanair passengers must use the nearby entrance to Terminal 1, where according to the airport, "they will check in and pass through the new security lanes".
The airport instructions continue: "Once through security, passengers will follow a clearly signed route into Terminal 3's departure lounge, where all existing shops and food outlets remain open. This arrangement will stay in place until Terminal 1 closes, at which point the entrance will be renamed and permanently become the entrance to Terminal 3." Manchester will become the second major UK airport, alongside London Heathrow, with no Terminal 1. |
Giving travel as a Christmas present is an excellent plan: all the evidence since the Covid pandemic is that people value experiences over possessions. But if you buy a gift card for a particular airline or hotel group, you risk providing a distinctly inferior experience. It will restrict the recipient's choice of companies and timing (many vouchers expire after a year). Instead, credit the lucky recipient's bank account with cash, together with a card inviting them to take an adventure at your expense. |
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What's the point of Gatwick-Frankfurt flights? |
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I see Condor will fly from London Gatwick to Frankfurt next year. But the lowest fare I can find is £160 return. You can fly from Gatwick to many places for a lot less than that. Presumably the flights are aimed at the business market? |
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Frankfurt is Continental Europe's financial hub. But it has much to offer the tourist, from culture to cuisine. The same applies to nearby Mainz, just 22 minutes from Frankfurt airport by train. Yet I was surprised to read the announcement a week ago that Condor, a mid-sized German airline, will fly three times daily between Gatwick and Frankfurt from 1 April 2026. Both easyJet and Lufthansa tried the route, and gave it up in favour of more lucrative links. Each of those airlines has a big advantage: easyJet due to the low costs at its biggest base, Gatwick; and Lufthansa thanks to its worldwide network from Frankfurt. So why is Condor moving in with a high-frequency link?
The timing of the launch, and pricing of the flights, may have something to do with British Airways deciding to axe its route from London City to Frankfurt from next spring. Checking a range of dates, there appears to be a flat fare of £160 return (including checked baggage). Business travellers may be content with that kind of price. But for leisure visitors, much cheaper tickets are available over the weekend of 3-6 April from Gatwick: £104 will get you to and from Malaga on easyJet or Bergen on Norwegian.
With more than 500 seats to fill each way, each day, I predict Condor will soon lower fares. The German airline may also offer good-value connections at Frankfurt to some of its long-haul destinations, such as Mombasa and Zanzibar in East Africa. Whatever the outcome, Condor's striking livery – bright hoops wrapping around the aircraft fuselage – will perk up planespotting at Gatwick. |
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This Christmas, we're asking for your help again as we launch our new campaign with the charity Missing People – the SafeCall appeal.
Every year, more than 70,000 children in the UK are reported missing. The misery that follows – for the child, for the family, for the community – is often hidden. Too many of these young people have nowhere to turn when they need help most. SafeCall will change that. Our goal is to raise £165,000 to help Missing People launch this new, free service – designed with the input of young people themselves – offering round-the-clock support, advice and a route to safety."
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| Craving adventure? Exoticca's Black Friday sale is on, with huge savings on multi-destination tours that include flights and plenty of extras. Enjoy up to 70% off trips to Vietnam, Costa Rica, Morocco, Norway and much more! Multiple dates and departures available. Learn more. |
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| The best base layers for men and women, tested by an explorer |
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| Stay entertained on long journeys – the Amazon Kindle is currently reduced to just £70. |
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| Travel in comfort with Peper Harow's luxury socks – use code: SAVE15 for 15% off. |
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