How America’s worst airport became a ‘world’s best’ – CNN

By wazup on March 18, 2023 Comments Closed / 350 views

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CNN —

This week in travel news: the top airports of 2023, new travel rules around the world and the man who visited Disneyland nearly 3,000 days in a row.

The world’s best airports

There was one commonly heard refrain, Port Authority’s Executive Director Rick Cotton tells CNN, that spurred on the multibillion refurbs happening at New York metro’s LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports: ” ‘Why are the major airports in Asia, in Europe, so much better and so much more appealing?’ “

“Our internal mission statement was to create a terminal everyone loves,” says Frank Scremin, CEO of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, which is behind the airport’s $8 billion makeover. That project just won LaGuardia’s Terminal B the “World’s Best New Airport Terminal” honor in the prestigious Skytrax awards.

Back in 2014, Vice President Joe Biden famously said LaGuardia was like being “in some third-world country,” but the comments “spurred action,” says Scremin.

The design philosophy of the new terminal is “about giving guests choice,” whether it’s a business traveler needing to get to a gate efficiently or a family that wants to “sit and relax and be entertained.”

Plans were axed Monday for a light rail link from Manhattan to LaGuardia, but at least there’s JFK’s ongoing $9.5 billion makeover to anticipate. And for more of those leading airports that inspired New York’s face-lift, take a look at the World’s Best Airports of 2023.

Law and order

Forewarned is forearmed, people. Here are the latest laws and rules travelers should know about:

Don’t hike solo in Nepal, because “there is no one to help you.”

Don’t take lewd selfies with the statues at Japan’s new Ghibli Park.

Don’t plan a motorbike tour of Bali, as the island authorities are going to stop foreign tourists from renting them.

Do visit China and stay lucky if you hit the casinos in Macao because the borders have fully reopened.

Do swim topless in Berlin’s swimming pools, if you’re a woman who supports German “free body culture.”

Do party all night in Miami’s South Beach, if you really must, because the booze ban after 2 a.m. has been halted. But make sure you reach Florida before this 5,000-mile-wide blob of seaweed does.

Food and drink

What’s the best meal to tuck into the morning after St. Patrick’s Day celebrations? A full Irish breakfast, with plenty of black pudding and potato bread. Here are 26 Irish foods you need to try: It’s not just stout and spuds.

Mexican cuisine has also been much misunderstood, but a new CNN food and travel show, “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico,” launching March 26, sets out to fix that. Sign up for our new four-part newsletter “Unlocking Mexico” for a guide to the country’s history and heritage, as well as recipes from Eva Longoria.

Record-breakers

A Polish pilot made aviation history on March 14 when he became the first person to land a plane on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai which, at more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) high, is one of the tallest hotels in the world.

And over in California, local man Jeff Reitz visited Disneyland every day for nearly 3,000 days in a row, earning himself a Guinness World Record for his efforts.

Finally, American woman Renee Bruns also scooped a Guinness World Record for the most countries visited by a person using a wheelchair in a year.

“I think it’s one of the silver linings of having a disability,” Bruns tells CNN Travel. “I started to see the world from a different perspective.”

Travel inspo for 2023

<strong>Pantelleria, Italy: </strong>Italy’s newest national park opened in 2016 on Pantelleria, kick-starting this quiet island’s transformation into a year-round adventure destination.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Vancouver, Canada: </strong> Vancouver just got its first Michelin Guide (the first Canadian city after Toronto to do so). ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2003″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia: T</strong>his remote archipelago is a go-to destination for "world-class surfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling," says TIME.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Berat, Albania:</strong> Berat was a place of refuge for the country’s Jews during World War II and, unusually, the country’s Jewish population actually increased during the conflict.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”1688″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Nagoya, Japan: </strong>The city of<strong> </strong>Nagoya is close to the newly opened Ghibli Park, Japan’s blockbuster theme park attraction.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2002″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Musanze, Rwanda: </strong>Musanze is the gateway to Volcanoes National Park, which has just announced expansion plans and is home to rare mountain gorillas. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Jeju Island, South Korea:</strong> Long loved by domestic travelers, this resort island is now attracting international attention, too. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Chyulu Hills, Kenya: </strong>This wildlife oasis is "a short hop via bush plane from Wilson Airport in Nairobi," says TIME.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Rio Grande, Puerto Rico: </strong> Rio Grande<strong> </strong>offers Americans the chance to visit the rainforest without leaving the country.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”1892″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Bozeman, Montana:</strong> The little city of Bozeman is "turning into a Rocky Mountain hub," says TIME, following a rush of pandemic relocation.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Kangaroo Island, Australia:</strong> Kangaroo Island was devastated by the bushfires of 2019-2020, but is slowly recovering. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Timisoara, Romania:</strong> Timisoara<strong> </strong>is a 2023 European Capital of Culture and will be celebrating with an array of concerts, exhibits and festivals.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”1985″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Phuket, Thailand: </strong>Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and a long-established tourist center. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”1999″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Washington D.C.</strong>: The US capital wins praise for its stylish new hotels and booming arts and culture scene” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2001″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Freetown, Sierra Leone: </strong>"All odds are on Sierra Leone to explode on the adventure travel scene," says TIME.” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2002″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Guadalajara, Mexico: </strong>In November Guadalajara will become the first Latin American destination to host the Gay Games worldwide sporting event. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Ollantaytambo, Peru: </strong>Not just a stopover on the way to Machu Picchu, this village in the Sacred Valley is a worthy destination in its own right. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2000″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Torres del Paine National Park, Chile: </strong>As well as the stunning scenery of Patagonia, this is the place to go on a puma safari. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”2001″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Dijon, France:</strong> No other gastronomic hot spot cuts the mustard quite like the city of Dijon. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”1999″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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<strong>Aqaba, Jordan:</strong> Jordan’s only coastal city, the landscape here features in the blockbuster hit "Dune," part two of which is out this year. ” class=”image_gallery-image__dam-img image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image_gallery-image__dam-img–loading’)” height=”1993″ width=”3000″></picture> </div>
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The world’s greatest places of 2023, according to TIME

TIME magazine just announced its annual list of 50 destinations you should put on your wish list. Check them out here.

Traveling with food allergies

Traveling to new places when you or a loved one has food allergies can be stressful and scary. To help your next trip go smoothly, our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have spoken with doctors, allergists and nutritionists to get their top tips and advice on what should be on your packing list.