Travel Dispatch: Americans Are Rethinking Their Summer Travel Plans

May 2, 2026

A sprawling beach lined with wooden hotels and a row of red and white umbrellas is dotted with beachgoers.

A recent poll found that 20 percent of Americans said they were avoiding international travel because of geopolitical tensions or safety concerns. Steve Legato for The New York Times

Dear Travel Fan,

This week, we check in on two spots that made our 52 Places to Go in 2026 list: Our 36 Hours column visits Barcelona (for 52 Places we highlighted the Poblenou neighborhood) and finds new spots and neighborhoods in addition to old favorites. We also drive California’s Highway 1, which has recently fully reopened after having sections closed for years because of landslides (we chose Big Sur for the 52 list and yes, we stop at the Post Ranch Inn).

We also visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which made our 52 list in 2024. Back then we wrote that this pristine area could be threatened by a bill in Congress that would allow plans for copper mining nearby to move forward. That bill passed in April. Stephanie Pearson, who grew up paddling in the area, tells us what’s at stake.

A.I. is becoming increasingly popular as a travel planning tool and this week Brian X. Chen, who writes the TechFix column for The Times, put Google’s Gemini chatbot and its new Ask Maps feature to the test. Also on the tech front, we look at how the rollout of the new European Entry/Exit system, which uses biometrics for border crossings, is going (not very well). And, if you use Uber to book rides (or to get food delivered) you can now also book a hotel room using the app.

We’re looking ahead to the summer travel season, but with all the uncertainty in the world, some Americans are changing their plans. If you’re taking a U.S. road trip this summer, we’ve got a roundup of hotels where you can get a touch of elegance along the way.

Spirit, the low-cost airline, had been trying to strike a deal with the government for a $500 million bailout, but on Friday it appeared that effort had failed. If you’re booked to fly Spirit, here’s what you need to know.

And, finally, if you’ve ever had an airline lose a bag that you checked, I think you’ll find solace in this article: Lufthansa recently lost an Oscar belonging to Pavel Talankin, a co-director of the documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin.” Happily, it was found.

Wishing you safe and happy journeys,

Amy Virshup

OPEN UP YOUR WORLD

Beneath a mostly blue sky, an empty, curving, two-lane highway heads through a landscape of bare rolling hills that show no sign of habitation. Above the hills is a bank of clouds.

Tight Curves and Wide Horizons: The Return of Highway 1

Once again, travelers can drive the full length of the scenic road in California after it was severed by a series of landslides starting in 2023.

By Finn-Olaf Jones and Jason Henry

A crowd of people mill around a park that has architectural elements including a staircase and colonnaded structure with a quirky, fluid design.

Samuel Aranda for The New York Times

36 Hours

36 Hours in Barcelona

Barcelona is not over, as those who branch out to seek Catalonia’s authentic food and often overlooked art will see.

By Jason Horowitz and Samuel Aranda

A large, luxurious camping tent has a spacious living area with a tall, wood-trimmed canvas ceiling, couches, chairs and throw rugs. Fairy lights dangle from the wood rafters. Double doors on either end of the sitting area lead to dense stands of trees.

Bailey Made

For Your Next U.S. Road Trip, a Touch of Elegance at 5 Hotels

Add these new or newly revamped accommodations to your summer driving itinerary.

By Stephanie Rosenbloom

Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune, via Getty Images

Immaculate Wilderness, Uncertain Future: Paddling the Boundary Waters

A proposed copper mine in northern Minnesota has become a battleground for politicians and environmentalists — and a pressing reason to explore the waterways.

By Stephanie Pearson

THE CHANGING WORLD OF TRAVEL

A traveler walks by a board displaying arrivals and departures at an airport.

Apu Gomes/Getty Images

Stay Put or Travel Abroad? Americans Are Rethinking Their Summer Travel Plans.

Faced with geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty and rising airfares, many travelers are changing destinations or canceling their trips entirely.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

An illustration shows a person reclining on a green couch looking at a cellphone with hand and eating out of a bowl with the other. Above the person, there are screens showing beaches, boats, maps, the Eiffel Tower and a lobster. An open suitcase sits on the floor, and items like socks, underwear and sunglasses are scattered.

Jared Oriel

A Tech Writer Puts Google’s A.I. to the Test as a Trip Planner

Gemini is a digital Swiss Army knife for planning flights, activities and routes, but it isn’t perfect. Why did it forget to put underwear on the packing list?

By Brian X. Chen

A building facade with a glowing 'PARK LANE' sign, arched windows, and an American flag. People and blurred cars are on the street.

Ashley Gilbertson for The New York Times

Uber Can Already Bring You Dinner. Now, It Wants to Book Your Hotel Room.

In partnership with Expedia, the ride-booking, food-delivering, package-transporting service takes another step toward becoming a super app.

By Tariro Mzezewa

A man is pressing his fingers on a glowing, green scanner.

Juan Medina/Reuters

New Biometric Border Checks Leave Visitors to Europe in Long Lines

The rollout of new entry and exit checkpoints for travelers visiting 29 European countries has led to frustrating delays. Here’s what you need to know.

By Christine Chung

An airport check-in counter with yellow “Spirit” kiosks and “Agent Assistance” signs. Several people are walking around the kiosks, one of them pulling a black rolling suitcase.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Are You Booked on Spirit? Here’s What You Need to Know.

After two stints in bankruptcy, the low-cost airline shut down early Saturday. Here’s what travelers should know about rebooking and refunds.

By Seth Kugel

A man in a tuxedo and glasses holds a golden statuette overhead, his mouth open. Behind them, a screen reads "OSCARS" in gold letters.

John Locher/Invision, via Associated Press

Airline Loses, Then Finds, Oscar a Filmmaker Was Forced to Check

Pavel Talankin, a co-director and star of the documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” was told by T.S.A. agents that his Academy Award could be used as a weapon.

By Gabe Castro-Root

Feedback, thoughts, tips? Email the Travel desk at travel@nytimes.com.

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