The smartest things airlines and hotels have done to make travel better
Getting there is half the fun. Streaming my favorite shows from my hotel TV is the other.
I’ve written before on Substack about my top airport and hotel design pet peeves, which were mostly poking fun at ugly carpet and missing shower doors.
I’m generally a very positive person, however, so today I want to focus on the best things hotels and airlines have done in recent years to make travel more comfortable, convenient and easier.
Being such a happy, shiny person, I’ve got quite a long list, so let’s get into it.
Airlines that seat families together
I don’t think we will ever see a world where every U.S. airline seats families together, but airlines have made progress toward adhering to the Department of Transportation’s recommendation that children 13 or under be seated adjacent to an accompanying adult at no additional cost, regardless of fare type.
Flying with young kids is hard enough. Airlines don’t need to make it harder by separating children from their parents when they are already stressed out from folding up the stroller so they can gate check it and spending $50 on snacks in the airport gift shop.
For now, only a handful of airlines have voluntarily committed to seating families together for free, and we love them for it:
American Airlines
Frontier Airlines
JetBlue
Hawaiian Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Airlines that don’t comply usually have their own systems to try to keep families together, but make sure you are familiar with the rules and regulations for your airline before you book, unless you want a stranger handling your baby’s 2 p.m. feeding.
Hotel rooms with bunk beds
I have three children, and no sleeping configuration can fit us in a standard hotel room. When they were smaller, all three could fit in a queen bed, but those days are long gone.
Even when I am traveling with friends, booking a room with bunk beds makes it feel like we are having a slumber party instead of retiring to our own rooms at the end of the night.
Some of my favorite bunk bed properties include Villatel Orlando Resort near Universal Orlando, the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance near Disneyland and the Westin Reserva Conchal in Costa Rica, but I see more and more hotels adding bunk bed rooms all the time. And to that I say, “Thank you.”
New airport lounge concepts
Ok, enough about kids. Until a few years ago, I had never set foot into an airport lounge. Now that I’ve actually learned how to get into airport lounges, I’ve been in more than I can count. I’ve also realized that many lounges feel the same.
Hey, I’m not here to complain about free food, coffee and Champagne, but I am digging the innovations I’ve seen in the world of airport lounges.
Take, for example, the Portal Lounge in Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). It has video game consoles and a robot bartender. You can pay a walk-in fee, but you can also get in if you have a credit card with Priority Pass access.
If you are in a hurry, the new Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) or the grab-and-go lounge options from Delta Air Lines and American Airlines can really come in handy.
Or, if you are looking for something a step above the standard lounge buffet, lounges like Capital One Landings at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) are bringing elevated dining concepts to the airport terminal.
Mobile check-in and digital keys
Maybe it’s just me, but there is something I love about landing at my destination and knowing my hotel room is ready and waiting for me. Mobile check-in is a small convenience, but it takes the guesswork out of hotel check-in.
If I plan to arrive early, I can alert the hotel via the app during check-in. Or if I arrive late due to flight delays or a long road trip, I can skip the front desk altogether and head straight to my room, thanks to the mobile check-in/digital key combo.
Some properties even allow you to choose your room in the app before you arrive. I’ve only had this happen with Hilton, but I loved the ability to choose my exact floor and room location rather than putting in a request and hoping for the best.
Speedier airport security lanes
I didn’t think airport security could get much quicker than it already is, using my trusty friends TSA PreCheck and Clear, but I was wrong. The TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program allows eligible passengers to pass through security without reaching for their boarding pass or ID.
The program uses facial comparison technology to match travelers’ faces with their passport photos on file, eliminating a time-consuming step in the process (especially if you are always fumbling around in your purse for your ID, like I am).
You must already be a TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry) member to enroll, and you can opt in via your airline frequent flyer profile. Just upload an image of your passport, consent to the facial identification program and you’re ready for an easy, breezy trip through security.
Baggage tracking
I should knock on wood when I say this, but I’ve yet to have an airline lose my luggage. I have, however, left several items on airplanes, but that is a story for another day. Despite my stellar track record, it is a huge comfort to receive that pop-up notification on my phone that my luggage is safe and sound underneath the plane, thanks to in-app baggage tracking.
Most major airlines offer mobile bag-tracking services, and some even integrate with Apple AirTag tracking, making this tool even more useful. The airline’s bag tracking gives peace of mind that your luggage is where it should be, but when you layer in the AirTag tracking, you may be able to locate your baggage even if it is lost.
In-room tech
One of my favorite hotels is Universal Aventura Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort, and not only because it has a rooftop bar and is within walking distance of the park. It’s because of Relay, the friendly robot who brings amenities to your room. He sometimes even roams the lobby, telling jokes and taking selfies.
Aventura has another one of my favorite hotel features: an in-room iPad that controls the television, thermostat and lights. These all-in-one control panels are becoming more common, and I, for one, am a big fan of anything that stops me from having to wander around the room at night finding all of the light switches or keeping track of the TV remote.
I also love settling down in my room and finding I can cast my favorite streaming shows to the in-room television rather than watch them on my tiny laptop screen. It really is the little things (like watching “Love is Blind” on a big screen) that make life better, isn’t it?
Free Wi-Fi on planes
I won’t pretend to understand airline financial reports, but I know the airlines that offer free Wi-Fi get more of my money than those that don’t. I’ve seen Wi-Fi prices above $20 just for one flight. That’s usually when I decide to write in my notes app or listen to music and podcasts I’ve already downloaded to my phone.
Luckily, most major U.S. airlines now offer free Wi-Fi, with Alaska Airlines and American Airlines the latest to join the party (thanks for coming, great to see you guys). Most of these do require you to be a member of their loyalty program, but that’s a small price to pay because they are free.
Even better, several airlines are upgrading their Wi-Fi to Starlink high-speed internet. These include United, Alaska Airlines and Southwest. Can we pretty please all promise not to use Zoom or FaceTime while in flight? Thanks.
Which improvements and innovations would you add to this list? Sound off in the comments!
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The best improvements here are the ones that remove a recurring irritation so completely that you stop thinking about the system at all. Bag tracking, free Wi-Fi, digital keys, and a television that lets you cast without a twelve-step login do not create the trip, but they keep the infrastructure from interrupting it. I’d add one hotel feature that still feels far less reliable than it should: climate control that actually works, ideally with the room already cooled before arrival. After a hot travel day, that can matter more than almost any lobby flourish.