No one wants to deal with the inconvenience of long lines every time you have a flight to catch. Instead, you can take a leisurely stroll through airport security by enrolling in TSA PreCheck. This trusted traveler program allows people to access a separate security line at the airport and eliminates some of the hassles involved in clearing airport security … for a price.

A TSA PreCheck membership costs $77 and remains valid for five years, so it’s relatively affordable. However, you may get that fee back if you have one of the top travel credit cards. Many of these cards reimburse the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee by granting a credit of up to $120. That means you can make the most of your card benefits and offset part of your annual fee by learning how to get TSA PreCheck with your credit card.

Here’s how to get TSA PreCheck by using your credit card.

How does TSA PreCheck work?

TSA PreCheck is an official trusted traveler program set up through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It requires you to go through a short online application and in-person interview where you’ll be fingerprinted and have your photo taken.

After you’re approved, you’ll have access to dedicated security lines and expedited security procedures at many U.S. airports, allowing you to keep your laptop and travel-sized liquids in your bag. Plus, you’ll keep your wait time to a minimum since 99% of TSA PreCheck members wait less than 10 minutes to make it through security, according to the TSA.

How to get TSA PreCheck free with a credit card

There are several ways a credit card can help you get TSA PreCheck for free:

—The easiest way is by paying for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application with a card that reimburses it. You’ll automatically receive a statement credit to cover the cost.

—You could use the rewards you’ve earned through an airline or hotel loyalty program to pay for it.

—You could use your credit card rewards to cover the fee.

Using a statement credit to get TSA PreCheck

Nearly 40 credit cards offer an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and that includes business credit cards and co-branded airline and hotel credit cards. However, it is important to note that most travel credit cards that cover TSA PreCheck come with an annual fee of anywhere from $95 to $695.

While there are travel credit cards with no annual fee, it’s uncommon for them to include a TSA PreCheck benefit. That said, occasionally you may be able to find a travel card with this benefit and no annual fee — but there will likely be a catch.

For example, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card, which comes with no annual fee the first year, offers an up to $120 reimbursement credit for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck every four years. However, this card charges an annual fee every year thereafter.

Using a loyalty program to get TSA PreCheck

Many airline and hotel loyalty programs allow you to redeem the rewards you earn for TSA PreCheck. Some of these programs include:

—IHG One Rewards

—Marriott Bonvoy

—Orbitz Rewards Platinum Members

—United Mileage Plus

However, this method usually isn’t the best option since you’ll typically spend $100 or more in rewards — which is more than the cost of a TSA PreCheck membership. If you have a bank of points or miles that are about to expire, then it could be a decent option.

These loyalty programs also occasionally offer promotions and deals on TSA PreCheck, which may help you to get a discounted membership or a free membership with certain levels of elite status.

Using credit card rewards to get TSA PreCheck

If you’re not interested in a travel credit card or paying an annual fee, rewards from one of the top cash-back cards could help you cover your TSA PreCheck fee. These credit cards allow you to earn rewards or welcome bonuses that you can then redeem as statement credits to cover your TSA PreCheck application.

Bankrate’s take: If you travel internationally and would like to shorten your trips through customs, consider applying for Global Entry instead of TSA PreCheck. Global Entry includes all the benefits of TSA PreCheck plus expedited customs screening for travelers entering the United States, and membership costs $120 for five years.

Which credit card with TSA PreCheck credits is right for you?

When determining which travel credit card is right for you, take a few factors into account, including the card’s

—annual fee

—general rewards structure

—additional benefits

You’ll also want to think about how it fits into your current spending habits and lifestyle. If a particular card is only appealing because it pays for TSA PreCheck, then you should consider a different card that better aligns with your spending habits and interests — even if that card is just a general rewards card that will help you to earn enough cash back to cover the application fee.

Keep in mind that many business, airline and hotel credit cards offer a TSA PreCheck benefit. If you own a business, you may want to consider a general business travel credit card (which offers more flexibility) or a credit card for an airline or hotel that you use frequently (which will offer airline- or hotel-specific perks).

The bottom line

If you want to get TSA PreCheck for free, there are a lot of credit cards out there that can help you cover the cost.

Whether you choose a card that reimburses your TSA PreCheck fee or a card that helps you earn rewards to cover the fee, you’ll have plenty of options to save on the cost of your TSA PreCheck membership. And once you’ve got that TSA PreCheck stamp on your boarding pass, you’ll be able to save time (and effort) at the airport.

©2025 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The 77-year-old woman was reported overboard New Year’s Day on the Nieuw Statendam, which sailed from the Fort Lauderdale port Dec. 27 and was due back on Jan. 3 at the end of its seven-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

The search was around 40 miles northeast of Sabana, Cuba, the Coast Guard stated. The search covered more than 690 square miles over eight hours.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that while sailing in waters north of Cuba, a guest on Nieuw Statendam went overboard earlier today,” Holland America stated in an email. “The captain and crew initiated search and rescue procedures and are searching the area working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard which has deployed a cutter and helicopter to assist.”

The Coast Guard Cutter William Trump and Air Station Clearwater MH-60 crews had been involved in the search.

The ship’s plan to stop for a port of call in Key West on Jan. 2 was canceled, the line stated.

“Our family assistance team is supporting the guest’s family, and our thoughts are with the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time,” the statement reads.

Consider our Top 10 for 2026 an evolving and ever-changing list of the best new rides and attractions coming to theme parks in the U.S. in the coming year.

ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain to turn kids area into Looney Tunes Land

Many parks have already begun construction on 2026 projects while others have only announced plans or launched teaser campaigns.

We’ll update our Top 10 list for 2026 as new rides and attractions are unveiled and more details become available.

1) Universal Kids

Frisco, Texas

The new Universal theme park aimed at families with young children will boast lands dedicated to DreamWorks, Nickelodeon and Illumination film franchises when the Texas kiddieland opens in 2026.

The 97-acre Universal Kids resort will be home to a theme park and themed hotel with space set aside for future expansion.

ALSO SEE: Universal’s newest theme park brings kid-sized fun to Texas

Universal Kids will feature seven themed lands: Shrek’s Swamp, Jurassic World Adventure Camp, SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom, Minions vs. Minions: Bello Bay Club, TrollsFest, Puss in Boots Del Mar and the Isle of Curiosity.

2) Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift

Universal Studios Hollywood

The new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood will feature 360-degree rotating coaster vehicles designed to look like drifting race cars from the street racing film franchise that has earned $7 billion at the worldwide box office.

Coaster trains with four street racing cars will rocket from zero to 72 mph along the 4,100-foot-long track.

ALSO SEE: First look at Fast & Furious coaster on-track test at Universal Studios Hollywood

Riders will drift and spin in a replica of Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger as they ride in the new launch coaster coming to the Upper Lot of the Hollywood theme park.

3) NightFlight Expedition

Dollywood

The new first-of-its-kind attraction coming to Dollywood will take riders into the Smoky Mountains on a soaring nighttime flight that turns into a roller coaster ride and then a whitewater rafting excursion before concluding with a mysterious dark ride across a shimmering lake.

The $50 million NightFlight Expedition marks the largest single attraction investment in Dollywood’s history.

ALSO SEE: $2.5 billion Disneyland Paris makeover starts with new Frozen land

The hybrid roller coaster/whitewater river rapids ride will be the first Mack Rides Rocking Boat Ride in the United States built by the German ridemaker.

4) SeaQuest: Legends of the Deep

SeaWorld Orlando

The new, first-of-its-kind ride coming to SeaWorld Orlando will take riders under the sea in a three-person submersible vehicle to explore sunken shipwrecks brimming with sharks, stingrays, jellyfish and other extraordinary sea creatures.

The new SeaQuest: Legends of the Deep will be the world’s first Vekoma suspended dark ride from the Netherlands-based ridemaker.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland 2026: All the seasonal events, food festivals and late night parties

The indoor dark ride will feature a submarine-like ride vehicle suspended from an overhead track that will swing and rotate through a series of themed environments.

The backstory for SeaQuest will involve a deep sea exploration of glowing undersea worlds filled with awe, wonder and adventure.

5) Tormenta Rampaging Run

Six Flags Over Texas

Tormenta Rampaging Run will claim the title of world’s tallest, longest and fastest dive coaster when it debuts at Six Flags Over Texas.

Tormenta will become the world’s first giga dive coaster — combining a 300-foot-plus height (giga) with a beyond vertical drop (dive) to create a completely new ride category.

ALSO SEE: Six Flags Magic Mountain pushes back new coaster to 2027

The coaster by Switzerland-based ridemaker Bolliger & Mabillard will be themed to Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls tradition.

6) Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare

Kings Island

The classic dark ride set in a haunted theater on a dark and stormy night will return to Ohio’s Kings Island in 2026 with a cast of familiar characters, a new storyline involving the Maestro’s famed pipe organ and a little interactive game play to avert disaster on opening night.

The new Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare by Florida-based Sally Dark Rides will feature 26 scenes with animatronic figures, hidden Easter eggs and sound and wind effects.

ALSO SEE: Universal Studios Hollywood 2026: All the after-hours events and seasonal festivals

Riders in enchanted opera boxes will use interactive spellbound flashlights to collect “ghost notes” released from the organ during a lightning strike.

7) Soarin’ Across America

Disney California Adventure and Epcot

The new “Soarin’ Across America” films coming to the venerable flight simulator rides at Disney California Adventure and Epcot will debut just in time for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States.

“Soarin’ Across America” will be filmed at 33 locations across the United States with the new scenes capturing a bird’s-eye view of the “scenic wonders, amazing cities and the beauty of the coasts” in a celebration of America’s diversity and grandeur.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland sets opening date for Soarin’ Across America

Walt Disney Imagineering will use advanced cameras and lenses mounted on helicopters and drones to capture the aerial footage for the updated attractions.

Also in 2026: Disneyland will update Millennium Falcon Smuggler’s Run with a new adventure starring Mandalorian and Grogu while the Fantasyland Theatre will launch “Bluey’s Best Day Ever” musical comedy show.

8) Barracuda Strike

SeaWorld San Antonio

The $8.8 million Barracuda Strike inverted coaster by Switzerland-based ridemaker Bolliger & Mabillard will glide above SeaWorld San Antonio’s water ski lake.

Riders will hit a top speed of 44 mph after aboard coaster trains suspended beneath the 1,800-foot-long track.

9) Quantum Accelerator

Six Flags New England

The Quantum Accelerator straddle coaster by Switzerland-based ridemaker Intamin will blur the line between family friendly and extreme thrills with a ride aimed squarely at tweens looking for the next level of excitement.

The dual-launch coaster coming to Six Flags New England will reach a top speed of 45 mph with a tire-propelled boost in the middle of the 2,600-foot-long track filled with 11 airtime hills.

ALSO SEE: Disneyland to begin Avatar land construction in 2026

The backstory for Quantum Accelerator turns the coaster into a steampunk-style time machine created by Professor Screamore.

10) Galaciticoaster

Legoland California and Legoland Florida

Aspiring young astronauts will design their own spaceships and train for an intergalactic mission into the Lego Galaxy aboard the new outer space-themed indoor coasters coming to Legoland California and Legoland Florida.

The first-of-their-kind Galacticoaster indoor coasters built by ridemaker ART Engineering of Germany will each travel along 1,500-foot-long tracks enclosed inside 30,000-square-foot “space port” buildings.

ALSO SEE: Legoland California trains kid astronauts for flights aboard new Galacticoaster

The galactic themed indoor launched roller coasters will send riders on an exploratory mission into the uncharted Lego Galaxy in custom Lego spacecraft where they will pass through cosmic scenes and meet other intergalactic travelers, according to the backstory for the ride.

LARNACA, Cyprus (AP) — Photis Gaitanos’ rough fingers adroitly untangle the venomous spikes of a lionfish from a net, throwing the exotic-looking creature into an ice-filled rubber bin along with other fish from the day’s catch.

Unlike a few years ago when he would have mostly caught local staples as sea bream, red mullet or bass, the veteran fisherman now hunts for the invasive species that made its way from the Red Sea to the warming waters of the Mediterranean,

Lionfish, with their red and orange-hued stripes and antennae-like barbs that menacingly ward off enemies, threaten to decimate indigenous fish stocks, wreaking havoc on the livelihoods of the roughly 150 professional fishermen in Cyprus.

The prickly fish has even made its way as far north as the Ionian Sea, where Italian authorities have asked the public to photograph and report sightings.

The East Mediterranean has also seen another invasive Red Sea fish in the last decade: the silver-cheeked toadfish. Known as an eating machine whose powerful jaws cut through fishing nets, decimating fishermen’s catch, it has no natural predators off Cyprus, allowing its population to explode.

That toadfish also produces a lethal toxin, making it inedible.

Warmer waters are the culprit

Gaitanos, the 60-year-old fisherman, has fished for years in an area a few kilometers off the coastal town of Larnaca, once famous for its fishing bounty. Now, he says, it’s been more than two years since he’s caught a red mullet, a consumer favorite.

“I have been practicing this profession for 40 years. Our income, especially since these two foreign species appeared, has become worse every year. It is now a major problem (affecting) the future of fishing,” he said. “How can it be dealt with?”

Europe’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean says with the sea warming some 20% faster than the global average, the presence of invasive species “is progressively increasing in the western basin.”

Models show that warmer seas as a result of climate change could see lionfish swarm the entire Mediterranean by the century’s end. Warmer waters and an expanded Suez Canal “have opened the floodgates” to Indo-Pacific species in general, according to Cyprus’ Fisheries Department.

The European Union’s Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis, a Cypriot himself, told The Associated Press that more frequent and intense extreme weather, often linked to climate change, could make the Mediterranean more hospitable to invasive species.

And that’s taking a heavy toll on Europe’s fishing industry as fishermen’s catches diminish while their costs shoot up as a result of repairs to fishing gear damaged by the powerful intruders.

“The native marine biodiversity of a specific region, as in the case of Cyprus, faces heightened competition and pressure, with implications for local ecosystems and industries dependent on them,” said Kadis.

Fishermen cry for help

Gaitanos, who inherited his father’s boat in 1986, is not sure the fishermen’s grievances are being handled in a way that can stave off the profession’s decline.

“We want to show the European Union that there’s a big problem with the quantity of the catch as well as the kind of fish caught, affected by the arrival of these invasive species and by climate change,” he said.

Some EU-funded compensation programs have been enacted to help fishermen. The latest, enforced last year, pays fishermen about $5.5 per 2.2 pounds to catch toadfish to control their number. The toadfish are then sent to incinerators.

Another project, RELIONMED, which began in 2017, recruits some 100 scuba divers to cull lionfish around wrecks, reefs and marine protected areas. The Cyprus Fisheries Department says surveys show that frequent culls could buy time for native species to recover, but it’s not a permanent fix.

Some try eating the problem

What local fishermen are hoping will catch on with the fish-loving public is a new campaign to serve lionfish as a delicacy after its poisonous spines are carefully removed.

Kadis, the EU Fisheries commissioner, said a social media campaign that began in 2021, #TasteTheOcean, had top European chefs and influencers plugging invasive species as a tasty alternative to the more commonly consumed fish. Renowned Cypriot chef Stavris Georgiou worked up a lionfish recipe of his own.

For most Cypriots, local taverns with their rich meze menus that feature numerous plates different fish is the way to go. Although eating lionfish has been slow to catch on, many tavernas and fish restaurants have started to introduce it as part of their menu.

The bonus is that lionfish is now priced competitively compared to more popular fish like sea bass. At the Larnaca harbor fish market, lionfish cost less than half as much as more popular fish like sea bass.

“By incorporating invasive species such as lionfish into our diet, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity for the fisheries sector and at the same time help limit the environmental threat caused by these species,” Kadis said

Stephanos Mentonis, who runs a popular fish tavern in Larnaca, has included lionfish on his meze menu as a way to introduce the fish to a wider number of patrons.

Mentonis, 54, says most of his customers aren’t familiar with lionfish. But its meat is fluffy and tender, and he says it can hold up against perennial tavern favorites like sea bream.

“When they try it, it’s not any less tasty than any other fish,” he said.

Associated Press writer Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report.

Six Flags Magic Mountain will close two roller coasters in early January as work begins to transform Bugs Bunny World into Looney Tunes Land in celebration of the Valencia amusement park’s 55th anniversary.

The closure of the 2014 Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers and 1947 Magic Flyer during the massive makeover of the kiddie land along with the permanent closure of the 1997 Superman: Escape from Krypton earlier in the year has opened the throne to a new Coaster King.

Poland’s Energylandia will soon unseat the world champ and take over the coveted title of Coaster Capital of the World with a total of 19 coasters — the most of any single amusement park in the world.

Magic Mountain set a world record in 2022 for the most roller coasters in a single theme park with the debut of Wonder Woman Flight of Courage — the park’s 20th coaster.

Flight of Courage kept Magic Mountain just ahead of upstart Energylandia, which added two coasters in 2019 and two more in 2024.

Magic Mountain moved into a tie with Energylandia in March with 19 coasters when Superman: Escape from Krypton permanently closed.

The closure of Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers and Magic Flyer will bring Magic Mountain’s coaster count to 17 — dropping behind sister parks Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland that both have 18.

Magic Mountain plans to open a new first-of-its-kind coaster in 2027 that will push the park into a three-way tie for second place with Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland.

Support beams have begun arriving at a staging area for Magic Mountain’s 2027 coaster.

Energylandia has been vocal about coming after the Coaster Capital crown — and now has the title to itself.

Energylandia has been on a building spree since opening about an hour outside Krakow with three coasters in 2014. The park added three coasters a year in 2015, 2017 and 2019 and two coasters a year in 2018, 2021 and 2024, according to Roller Coaster Database.

Magic Mountain has hung onto the coaster crown largely by adding without subtracting, retiring only the star-crossed Green Lantern: First Flight (2011-17) during the past decade.

The coaster counts at Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland have largely remained static as the parks replaced old rides with new ones.

Cedar Point closed Wicked Twister in 2021 and opened Siren’s Curse in 2025. Canada’s Wonderland closed Time Warp in 2024 and opened AlpenFury in 2025.

Magic Mountain and Cedar Point have been engaged in a decades-long battle for coaster supremacy that has now come to an end.

“Even though we’re bringing the coaster count down, we’re doing a lot at Magic Mountain to really make it a better experience,” Six Flags Director of Construction Dave Evans said. “It’s not going to be about the quantity of coasters. It’s going to be about the whole experience that we’re bringing into the park.”

Magic Mountain’s fall from the coaster throne follows the merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair in 2024 that brought Cedar Point and Canada’s Wonderland under the newly unified banner.

“As one united company now, it’s not about the coaster number anymore,” Evans said during a phone interview. “We’re not as concerned about chasing that record anymore. We’d rather enhance the guest experience.”

LOS ANGELES — Even with inflation, endless air travel complaints and the recent flight cancellations caused by the government shutdown, millions of Americans, including me, will begin their holiday celebrations on a plane. And while some are already making their packing lists, I am more concerned about what I should watch. In addition to getting you where you want to go, those hours spent in uncomfortable seats — first at the gate and then on board — are a guilt-free opportunity to catch up on or revisit great shows and films.

In-flight viewing is a specific, and sometimes unintentionally communal, viewing experience; not everything works. Choose tearjerkers and musicals with care. Ugly crying over “The Notebook” or singing along with “Wicked” might feel great, but it can cause your fellow passengers unnecessary consternation and/or annoyance.

If you are traveling with or seated near children, you should avoid hard-R-rated fare — as I discovered while briefly attempting to watch “Game of Thrones” while seated beside my then-young son, nudity and beheadings don’t need the sound on to be inappropriate.

Likewise, avoid anything that involves tragic or problematic air travel — catch up on the “Final Destination” franchise another time — and you also might want to skip full-attention-demanding subtitles. The perfect airplane watch allows you to immerse yourself while also remaining aware of what’s happening around you. (Including and especially requests from flight attendants.)

With all these considerations in mind, here are some suggestions.

Watch at the gate

Comedy series are best, for obvious mood-sweetening reasons (should delays occur), but also because the episodes are short and tend not to have dramatic moments that might keep you watching even after your group number has been called.

“Schitt’s Creek” (Amazon)

Each episode of this perfectly addictive series about a once-rich (and very dysfunctional) family that finds itself forced to start anew in a small town will make you laugh no matter how many times you’ve seen it.

“Derry Girls” (Netflix)

Those unfamiliar with the Northern Ireland accent may find it necessary to use subtitles, which I just cautioned against. But this show is worth breaking the rules for. Living through the Troubles in 1990s Derry, five Catholic school friends and their families cope hilariously with everyday issues, including school life under the redoubtable eye of Sister Michael (Siobhán McSweeney).

“New Girl” (Hulu)

The shenanigans of friends/roomies Jess (Zooey Deschanel), Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Winston (Lamorne Morris) and Cece (Hannah Simone) are always a delight.

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Netflix)

Any time’s a good time to watch the greatest police comedy series since “Barney Miller.” Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta heads a misfit but inevitably successful team of New York detectives, headed by the driest, wisest chief in TV history — Captain Holt, played by the late, great Andre Braugher.

“Abbott Elementary” (Hulu)

Celebrate the holidays with this quick-witted, revelatory and very sweet teacher-centric mockumentary-comedy created by and starring Quinta Brunson. Compared with classroom chaos, even the airport will seem like an oasis of tranquility.

“What We Do in the Shadows” (Hulu)

If you somehow missed this hilariously unique comedy-horror mockumentary about a group of vampires living in modern-day Staten Island, now is the time to rectify that.

Watch on domestic flights

All of the above comedy series work here as well — but movies are best, especially if you can time it so the film begins when altitude is achieved and ends as you’re returning your seat backs and tray tables to their full upright positions.

FILMS:

“The Da Vinci Code” (AMC+)

The perfect in-flight film, “The Da Vinci Code” offers something like cultural edification (the Louvre! The Knights Templar! Biblical history!) while not forcing you to think too much. A tour of Paris, great action sequences, the always endearing Tom Hanks and a literally beatific conclusion.

“Spy” (Amazon)

Melissa McCarthy is an everywoman intelligence agent who chooses to go into the field for the first time in this strangely unsung hero of modern comedy. Guaranteed to make you laugh even if you’re stuck in the middle seat. (Also set in Paris, it’s a perfect double feature with “The Da Vinci Code” for those five-hour flights.)

“Crazy Rich Asians” (Netflix)

Jon M. Chu’s glorious romantic comedy will transport you into a world far beyond the dreary confines of contemporary air travel and make you feel, if only for a moment, that you too are flying in a first-class compartment that contains an actual double bed.

“Iron Man” (Disney+)

Travel back in time to the moment when Robert Downey Jr. jump-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe and remind yourself why. It really is that good.

“Sense and Sensibility” (Amazon)

The exquisite nature of the performances, writing, direction, cinematography and score has made one of the best Jane Austen adaptations a go-to comfort film for when you’re feeling ill. Which is why it’s perfect while flying.

“Paddington” and/or “Paddington 2” (Netflix)

Come for the adorable bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw), stay for the adventure and sweet hijinks (and, in “Paddington 2,” Hugh Grant!). You will reach your destination feeling more kindly to your fellow travelers, which can only improve any trip.

“Edge of Tomorrow” (Netflix)

Tom Cruise teams up with Emily Blunt to battle an alien invasion, with some help from time travel. Classic dystopian thriller with several clever twists. If you’re feeling hot and cramped, just think of Cruise and Blunt in those super suits.

“The Martian” (Netflix)

Feel bad that your flight got delayed and you might not make your connection? A little time spent with Matt Damon’s astronaut, stranded for years on Mars, will put everything in perspective. At least you don’t have to figure out how to grow potatoes in hostile soil.

“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (Amazon)

The ultimate full-immersion movie sees four teenagers sucked into a survival adventure game in which their avatars are played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan.

“Skyfall” (Amazon)

Honestly, most Bond films are a good choice but Daniel Craig is my favorite Bond and “Skyfall” features a more-than-usual presence of M (Judi Dench). Also, the song.

“Knives Out” (Amazon)

A classic manor house mystery, which revived the genre when it became a hit in 2019, “Knives Out” is the ideal blend of mystery and wit, with a cast of characters to keep you company.

SHOWS:

“Hawkeye” (Disney+)

If you’re looking for a five-hour (or so) miniseries with plenty of Marvel action and a holiday theme, look no further. A year after the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” Hawkeye super fan Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) teams up with her reluctant hero, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), to face down enemies new and old. Oh, and celebrate Christmas in New York.

“Black Mirror” (Netflix)

This sci-fi anthology series is perfect plane viewing because a.) It’s so very good and b.) Each episode is its own story, so you can construct however many hours you need (and, perhaps, catch up on a show so many people continue to talk about).

“Sherlock” (PBS)

Same principle — each episode is essentially a short film and you get to wallow in the wonder of Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock), Martin Freeman (Watson), Mark Gatiss (Mycroft) and all the rest as they solve crimes in modern twists on the classic tales.

Watch on international flights

For flights six hours and longer, you can hunker down and make your way through a film franchise or an entire season or seasons of a television series.

FILMS:

“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (HBO Max)

Pick the director’s cut of all three and your journey through Middle-earth will take you almost 12 hours, which is about as long as it takes to fly from L.A. to New Zealand, where it was filmed.

“Hunger Games” (HBO Max)

The four films in which Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and friends attempt to wrest a shattered land from the tyranny of President Snow (Donald Sutherland) clock in at about nine hours total, which, with bathroom and meal breaks, should get you from L.A. to London or Paris.

“Mission Impossible” films (Amazon and other platforms)

Although they often include mishaps in the air, the fantastic (in both senses of the word) nature of “Mission: Impossible” makes these films an ideal high-altitude binge. From first to last, they run more than 18 hours, which is, quite frankly, far too many hours of consecutive movie viewing. But with plenty of installments to choose from, you can accept whichever assignments (and Cruise stunts) appeal to you.

“Harry Potter” (HBO Max)

However one feels about J.K. Rowling’s politics, this is a delightful film franchise that’s even longer than “Mission; Impossible” — about 20 hours. But you can start, and stop, the series wherever you want (though I would urge you not to skip the underrated “Order of the Phoenix”).

SHOWS:

“Black Doves” (Netflix)

Keira Knightley and Whishaw play highly unlikely but ruthlessly skilled mercenary spies who work for an ice-cold Sarah Lancashire. The six-hour-long series tells a complete tale (though Season 2 is in the works) and as the events take place in London as Christmas approaches, makes a fine holiday thriller.

“House”

Pick a season, any season (there are eight of them, with an average of 22 episodes each) and the wit, wisdom and scathing insanity of Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) and his team will carry you through to any destination. And unlike other medical shows, most of the ailments are so bizarre that you won’t have to worry if that cough or twinge is a sign that you’re getting one of them.

“The Durrells in Corfu” (PBS)

It’s 1935 and young widow Louisa Durrell (Keeley Hawes) decides that the answer to her financial straits is to move herself and her four children to the island of Corfu. Sweet and scenic hilarity ensues, and includes the young Josh O’Connor (“The Crown”) and Callum Woodhouse (“All Creatures Great and Small”) as two of Louisa’s sons. Four seasons, 26 episodes. You’re welcome.

“Call the Midwife” (Netflix)

Seasonal purists could just download the dozen or so Christmas episodes of this long-running and still-exceptional drama about a group of midwives working out of a convent in London’s East End. (Between the nuns and the babies, the specials are always wonderful.) But if you haven’t seen the series, best to start with Season 1 and keep going.

“Mare of Easttown” (HBO Max)

If you somehow missed Kate Winslet’s turn as a small-town Pennsylvania cop (with a great Delco accent) who is trying to solve a brutal murder, then this is your chance. If you didn’t, well, it’s time for an eight-hour rewatch in which you can use the time you spent wondering who dunit to admire all the terrific acting.

“Slow Horses” (Apple TV)

The butt-numbing hours will fly by like minutes when you immerse yourself in the TV adaptation of the first five of Mick Herron’s Slough House novels. Gary Oldman is having a blast as Jackson Lamb, the greasy, rumpled, sharp-tongued and strategically flatulent keeper of a den of MI5 misfits. Who somehow manage to save the day.

“The Crown” (Netflix)

Think your flight is long? Consider the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth, played over the course of six seasons by Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton. For a full immersive experience, it’s tough to beat the royal settings, period clothes and changing times. And with 60 hours at your fingertips, you can move through history without ever leaving your seat.

“30 Rock” (Hulu)

Tina Fey’s send-up of a fictional “Saturday Night Live”-type show, and satirical look at the television business in general, is just as biting and gimlet-eyed as it was when it premiered almost 20 years ago. It got better as it aged, so for purposes of downloading, look to Seasons 4 and 5.

“Parks and Recreation” (Peacock/Amazon)

Life is always better when you spend some time with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) and the many fine public servants in Pawnee, Indiana’s city government. The mockumentary series found its feet in Season 2, so you might want to start there.

“The Wire” (HBO Max)

David Simon’s five-season Baltimore-based crime drama is definitely R-rated (thus breaking one of our earlier stated rules) but it is the show that is consistently listed as one of the best — if not the best — TV dramas ever. So if a long-haul flight demands that you binge, why not binge big?

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

That’s according to the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, who recently cast votes for the “10 Most Tourist-Friendly Cities in the U.S.” No. 1 on the list? That would be Lexington, Kent., which the magazine praised for its distilleries, dining scene and “small-town community atmosphere, which we attribute to the friendly locals.”

A California city also made the cut, and it’s no surprise, given its SoCal-surfer charm, that it is San Diego. “Maybe it’s the near-perfect weather, but there’s something about San Diego that seems to bring out the best in everyone,” CN Traveler writes. Considering its sunny weather, good tacos on every corner and friendly attitude, maybe it’s time to plan a trip toward the border.

Most tourist-friendly cities in the U.S., from CN Traveler’s readers

1 Lexington, Kent.

2 Santa Fe, N.M.

3 Savannah, Ga.

4 Milwaukee, Wis.

5 Alexandria, Va.

6 Columbus, Ohio

7 Chicago

8 Charleston, S.C.

9 New Orleans

10 San Diego

Source: cntraveler.com/gallery/2015-08-11the-2015-friendliest-and-unfriendliest-cities-in-the-us

We were well into our journey from Los Angeles to Chicago, surrounded by cornfields and grain elevators, when the train halted and a voice rang out.

“All right, folks,” said a man on the PA system. “We’ve come to a stop in what appears to be the middle of nowhere.”

To a traveler in a hurry, this is the stuff of nightmares. To a seasoned passenger on the L.A.-Chicago train known as Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, it’s just another day.

When you board an American long-distance train in 2025, you are trading the airport routine for entry into a locomotive-driven realm where there is neither TSA nor WiFi. And AI might as well stand for aged infrastructure.

There will be delays, often because of passing freight trains. But in the bargain, you are freeing yourself from worry about aerodynamics or the chronic shortage of U.S. air traffic controllers and gaining access to ground-level scenery and idle hours.

You’re also joining a modest trend. Even before this fall’s bout of flight cancellations during the government shutdown, Amtrak had set records for passengers and revenue in fiscal 2024, then again in 2025. Ridership on the Southwest Chief rose 12.6% in the last year. Amtrak’s long-distance trains haven’t caught up with their pre-pandemic numbers yet, but we seem to like them a little more lately.

To learn why, I boarded the Southwest Chief at Los Angeles Union Station on a recent Monday afternoon. I was ready to see a few desert sunsets from the Sightseer Lounge and hear what people say when they have the time to chat with a stranger IRL.

Before long, I had been party to conversations about fear of flying, doctors in Tijuana, how to make beef jerky and how to sleep in a moving metal box. I’d also heard these sentences:

•”I like watching the country go by. I draw and I paint,” said passenger Nancy Roeder.

•”I’m a fourth-generation model railroader,” said William Angus.

•”I’m not going to lie to you. I took his life.”

This last comment came from a fellow traveler, ruefully disclosing an act of self-defense many years ago. No proof was offered, but I believed it. I also found the teller of the story (whom I won’t name) to be good company, thoughtful and generous.

In other words, on a two-day train, you meet people and hear things that you might not on a four-hour flight.

What Paul Theroux wrote 50 years ago in “The Great Railway Bazaar” is still true: “Anything is possible on a train: a great meal, a binge, a visit from card players, an intrigue, a good night’s sleep, and strangers’ monologues framed like Russian short stories.”

Flagstaff by dawn

There’s one Southwest Chief departure from Los Angeles every day (and one from Chicago). If everything goes right, the 2,265-mile, 32-stop trip takes about 43 hours.

But only a rookie would count on that. About 60% of the time, the Southwest Chief arrives at least 15 minutes late.

Back in 1936, when the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway introduced Southwest Super Chief service between Los Angeles and Chicago, this was a roughly 40-hour journey. The passenger list included plenty of show-biz people and the first stop was in Pasadena.

Nowadays, the Southwest Chief is run by Amtrak (which gets government funding but operates independently enough to be unaffected by recent government shutdowns). There are not so many show-biz people now, not as many frills. Instead of Pasadena, its first stop after Los Angeles is Fullerton, followed by a bend to the northeast. By the time I arrived in the dining car for my first dinner aboard, we were nearing Barstow.

“This way, young man,” lied the server winningly as he steered me to a table. (I am 65. In the dining car, every traveler, no matter how aged, gets greeted as a young man or young lady.)

Since booths hold four people, dining car stewards like Chuck Jones manage the delicate task of putting travelers together. Through PA announcements and whispers in the aisles, he encouraged us to introduce ourselves and keep phones off tables.

He also suggested we steer clear of politics — a tall order when traveling through a government shutdown from a city the president had just called “lawless” to one he had just called “the worst and most dangerous city in the world.”

Surprise: Almost everyone complied.

Over the course of six dining car meals as a solo traveler, I heard no political disagreements and met travelers from their 20s to their 80s.

Claudette Toth, a senior from Massachusetts, estimated that she’d only flown three or four times in her life. William Angus, a 24-year-old returning to Chicago from a pilgrimage to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum told of how much he loved running a 1/87 scale model of the Bakersfield-Mojave rail system, re-enacting operations from February 1953.

As Angus spoke, Ernie Haecker, a longtime train lover, nodded in understanding, grinning beneath a handlebar mustache. Haecker, 77, an audiologist, told us he takes the train every six weeks, splitting time between Santa Fe and New York. After so many trips, he knows the crew, knows where the train will pause long enough for him to shave, knows he can count on chatting with “a whole panoply of folks every time.” He even knew the spot in Illinois where the train would switch from one old company’s tracks to another’s.

“We just left the old Santa Fe,” he would say when the moment came. “Now we’re on Burlington.”

My dinner on the first night was another happy surprise — a fairly tender and flavorful flat iron steak. There was a vase holding flowers at every table, along with white tablecloth.

Still, nobody should expect a Michelin-star meal in an Amtrak dining car. It’s common for servers to bring out dessert before the main dish (to avoid running behind later) and at one meal, someone forgot my order and I had to start over half an hour later.

By the time we crossed into Arizona that first night, I was back in my roomette nodding off, lulled like a baby atop a washing machine.

We were near Flagstaff when I blinked awake, glad to catch sight of the sunrise and grateful to have a sleeping area of my own.

Arizona sprawl and the Amtrak class system

Of the three ways you can travel long-distance on Amtrak, the fanciest option is a private room that’s about 50 square feet (including private bath). The cost — about $3,200 for a couple, one way, when I booked — includes meals in the dining cars. (Family rooms, which hold four people but share bathrooms, cost about the same. All rates fluctuate by season and demand.)

That was too pricey for me and my expense account, so I booked a roomette. The roomettes are about half the size of a private room, with dining-car access and upper and lower berths that allow two travelers to lie flat (or one to spread out). These share toilets and showers. This cost me $809. (For a couple, the tab would have been $1,112.)

The third option was coach class, which means sleeping in your seat. It’s a sensible choice if you’re traveling only a portion of the route, and it’s what I did when traveling this route as a college student 45 years ago.

I was intrigued to see that coach fares start at $198 — only a bit more than the starting price for a flight. But no, not intrigued enough.

As a coach passenger, you don’t get access to the dining car (unless there’s room and you’re willing to pay $20-$45 for a meal). Instead, you bring food, buy snacks in the cafe car below the Sightseer Lounge or, if truly desperate, try to arrange a restaurant delivery to an upcoming fresh-air stop.

Fortunately, all classes get access to the Sightseer Lounge, where armchairs and couches face big windows. I’ve heard of lounges getting pretty crowded and ripe on heavily booked trips, but our trained seemed less than half-full. A few coach passengers dozed in the lounge overnight (which is officially forbidden) and nobody seemed bothered.

That first morning, with coffee in hand, I tiptoed into the lounge, sank into an armchair and watched the desert sprawl while wispy clouds clung to the horizon under a brightening sky.

This postcard (or rather Instagram) moment came somewhere between Winslow and Holbrook. I’m told the scenery is more dramatic on the Coast Starlight (from Los Angeles to Seattle) and the California Zephyr (from Emeryville through the Rockies to Chicago). But this comes down to taste. If you like deserts, the Chief is hard to beat. (Though no matter the route, if you like photography, the train is a challenge: no open windows, so you’re always shooting exteriors through glass.)

As Arizona yielded to New Mexico, the dirt seemed to get redder and the ridges rose to form buttes. Along rivers and creeks, bright yellow cottonwood trees congregated in bursts of yellow. Occasionally we’d glimpse small towns and timeworn roadside attractions — a reminder that Old Route 66 basically follows Southwest Chief’s path between the West Coast and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Amish in transit, elk at sunset

“Living in L.A., you forget all this space,” said Kim Rinauro, a nurse from Los Feliz. “When you come out and see how vast this is, it really gives you a different perspective.”

“America is so ginormous,” said Jeanine Bass, a softball coach from Costa Mesa who was on her way to see family in upstate New York.

Meanwhile, one end of the observation car had been filled by several women in white bonnets, joined by men with straw hats, footlong beards and no mustaches. Occasionally I’d hear a sort of clapping sound. Amish families. Playing dominoes.

Amish travelers have been using this route for decades, one of the men told me, on their way to and from doctors in Tijuana. Seeking medical treatment that’s more affordable and easier to schedule than in the U.S., they take trains to Southern California, then continue overland across the border.

Just before we made a 45-minute stop at the station, which is surrounded by a grim neighborhood, an Amtrak staffer took the microphone to sternly address the coach-class travelers.

“Coaches: No alcohol,” she said. “If you bring alcohol, you can stay and spend all night here with the transients.” For those in rooms and roomettes, she continued, booze in private rooms is OK, but not in public spaces.

Farther into New Mexico, we passed the other Southwest Chief train, carrying passengers west.

Between Raton, New Mexico, and Trinidad, Colorado, amid a gaudy sunset, we crept past a herd of elk, then plunged into a tunnel. Emerging, we caught a last bit of sunset, some of the most gorgeous miles of the trip.

Yet this, I learned later, is the part of the trip that Amtrak’s chief executive tried to replace with bus service in 2018. The effort failed and that executive is no longer in the job. But the battles in Washington over Amtrak funding and mission never end, which is why so many cars, like the Superliners on the Southwest Chief, were built between 1979 and 1996. Amtrak leaders have set a goal of replacing their older long-distance cars by 2032.

Speaking of hardware: Eventually I tried the shower. It didn’t go well. First, I saw that someone had stolen the shampoo dispenser. Then I couldn’t find a way to cool the scalding-hot water. I stood as far back as I could in the snug compartment and grimaced my way through it.

Missouri, Iowa and Illinois: The final miles

On arrival day, I woke just as we reached the station in Kansas City, another gritty neighborhood along the tracks. Our news feeds were filled with fresh reports of nationwide flight delays because of the government shutdown.

Soon we were crossing the Missouri River, roaring through forest and skirting naked farmland where this year’s corn crop had just been cut. Then came Fort Madison, Iowa; the Mississippi River and the beginnings of Illinois. Water towers and grain elevators.

I zipped my bags shut, tipped the roomette attendant and dining car team. Soon I’d be stretching my legs at the Art Institute of Chicago, walking Millennium Park and along the Chicago River, checking out the skyline from Navy Pier.

We pulled into Union Station within an hour of our target time.

Was it a perfect trip? No. But it was full of humanity, scenery and comforting clangs and rumbles. I even liked the lurching way you had to walk down the corridors, adjusting balance as the train shifts. And then, to step off the train after two days into a brisk Chicago afternoon, 2,265 miles from home, having never left the ground? That’s almost magic.

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The coldest, grayest, shortest month of astronomical winter — with a little nugget of love in its midsection, thanks to Valentine’s Day — can be a challenging time to vacation. That’s where Lonely Planet comes in with its new guide, “The top 10 places to visit in February 2026.”

The travel company’s editors put their heads together to pick a diversity of destinations, depending on whether “you need restful break after the holiday season or an exhilarating adventure to kick-start your year.” And they included tips about what makes each place worth visiting, from gorgeous beaches to historic intrigue to a sizzling street-food scene.

There’s also one spot with polar-bear safaris, though perhaps that’s best left to people who really enjoyed the movie “Grizzly Man.” Here are the recommendations and to-do suggestions.

Lonely Planet’s top places to visit in February 2026

1 St. Lucia, the Caribbean: beaches

2 Montreal: the dining scene

3 Mendoza, Argentina: enjoying wine

4 Singapore: street food

5 Wyoming: skiing

6 Madeira, Portugal: an island vacation

7 Tanzania: safaris

8 Cambodia: historic sites

9 United Arab Emirates: plenty of sun

10 Manitoba, Canada: polar-bear safaris

Source: lonelyplanet.com/articles/where-to-go-in-february

The Mushroom Train is just one offering from the Fort Bragg-based Skunk Train depot. This post-logging railroad, once a conveyor belt for redwood extraction, now runs a very different kind of harvest: foodie-level bites, foraged fungi, fine wines and fundraising.

The annual Mushroom Train makes its run each November as one of MendoParks’ largest fundraising events. The nonprofit receives no tax dollars yet manages education, stewardship and community programming across Mendocino Coast state parks. Every ticket is a direct donation to redwoods, trail access and the future of this ecological corridor.

All aboard

The morning of the event the depot hums with pre-departure anticipation. It’s a 21+ event. People flash their IDs, sip warm cider or coffee and pull their puffy jackets tighter against the morning chill. For a few more dollars, the presidential class car, new for 2025, is a plush little jewel box complete with emerald velvet tufted seats, vintage radio speakers at each table and, this year, Tamar Kaye and Crispin Cain of Mendocino Spirits pouring its Low Gap California Whiskey.

Someone asks, “Is bourbon an acquired taste?,” and Cain grins. “Bourbon is … a commitment,” he says. The car erupts in laughter, and everyone accepts it.

The ride into the reds

The train runs parallel to Pudding Creek, rattling along a wooden trestle, then the canopy closes in. We glide into second-growth redwoods, descendants of the giants felled for profit in the early 20th century.

This railroad used to export forests. Now, it transports the people who protect them.

The second pour: Kaye and Cain share tastes of their distillery’s limited-edition candy-cap mushroom liqueur, and the whole car warms with the smells of butterscotch and maple.

Glen Blair Bar: A forest party with a purpose

Twenty minutes later, we disembark at Glen Blair Junction and enter “Glen Blair Bar,” a large open-air pavilion filled on this day with mushroom-infused light bites, local craft wines and spirits, and vendors selling mushroom-themed art and accessories.

Live music from three local bands starts soon after arrival. The opening act is the Sid Hillman band, fronted by the executive director of MendoParks himself. Next, we are treated to the soulful sounds of 18-year-old guitar virtuoso Bella Rayne & friends, followed by instrumental world fusion band The Runabout.

In the clearing next to the pavilion are three large campfire rings adjacent to DIY s’more and hot dog stations, for the kid in you. This is an adult play date after all.

Guests cluster around the mushroom education and identification table as Eric Schramm points to a cluster of California golden chanterelles and a 1.5-pound porcini he found the previous day.

Next, we have the wine education table, led by Cory Lester of Bee Hunter Wines, who shares tastes of its red and white varieties from its Boonville tasting room.

Optional experiences

An hour into the festivities, the first round of the forest bathing tour fans out into the woods, guided by Certified Forest Bathing Guide Megan Carson, who talks about this Japanese practice known as shinrin-yoku as medicine. With slower breathing and reduced stress hormones, it helps the body remember its somatic connection to nature.

Leslie Krongold of Leslie’s Accessible Walks, known for her accessibility advocacy, maneuvers the well-maintained gravel path in her motorized chair expertly, proof that with intention, more people can access wild beauty.

Dance, fire, cold air, warm faces

As the afternoon deepens, DJ Beetroot back on the train drops vintage dance tracks. People dance around the wooden embarkment platform in fleece and beanies. The cold makes the warmth from the round campfire pits more delicious.

In this redwood clearing, there’s no pretense. This fundraiser feels like gratitude in motion.

How to do this trip right

From San Francisco, Mendocino is 3-4 hours north. Highway 1 is scenic but can be a bit twisty to maneuver in the dark. Highway 101 to Highway 20 is faster, less nausea-inducing. Savvy visitors arrive Friday night.

North Cliff Hotel in Noyo Harbor offers two-person jetted tubs with ocean views and fireplaces in every room.

Mendocino folks treat the Mushroom Train like a sacred annual ritual. Tickets sell out early.

Mendocino isn’t selling novelty here — it’s modeling a future: post-extraction, post-burnout, post-disposable culture. We’re not just sipping liqueur under the redwoods. We’re investing in the comeback of a coastline long used, logged and left for dead. Growing up near the timber plantations, wetland marshes and barrier islands of North Carolina, I’ve seen land survive a lot — except human indifference when conservation is needed. Up here, on this quirky little train powered by bourbon, mushrooms and communal joy, the opposite is happening. This is what Northern California looks like when people decide the forest deserves more than nostalgia.

This isn’t tourism.

It’s stewardship disguised as a party, and this is your invitation.

If you want to take the Mushroom Train, you’ll have to wait to buy advance tickets for next year’s MendoParks fundraiser. But adults can still ride the Skunk Train to Glen Blair Bar or on select weekends this year ($59.95). The family-friendly Pudding Creek Express ride ($54.95-$295) with games, snacks and redwood exploration is available year-round, and “Mr. Skunk’s Giant Christmas Tree and Workshop” holiday ride ($85.45-$113.95), featuring seasonal treats and decor, runs through Dec. 31. For tickets, visit skunktrain.com