Latest news with #solotravel
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Delta Issues Statement After Pricing Tactics Were Exposed
Earlier this week, a prominent travel writer exposed Delta, American, and United for an apparent pricing strategy that charged passengers more for solo seats than for group seats. Now, Delta has broken its silence on the matter. Kyle Potter, executive editor at Thrifty Traveler, recently discovered that Delta, United, and American – the nation's three largest airlines – were charging significantly more for solo travelers than groups when purchasing the same tickets on the same flights. "I saw a $206 one-way fare to Newark this summer," Potter told WCCO News. "I bumped it up to two passengers, then all of a sudden, I'm looking at $156 for the same fare." "You start doing some math, double checking, 'What's going on here? Did I enter the wrong airport code? Did I change the date on accident?' It became pretty clear, quickly, this was a penalty for booking just one ticket," he told the outlet. "This isn't an isolated incident. This is a trend. This is something that airlines are doing in order to squeeze more money out of people who are booking just one passenger." Following the news, WCCO reached out to each of the three airlines and received a brief comment from a Delta spokesperson, breaking the airline's silence on the matter. In an email to WCCO, the spokesperson said that they were "limited in what it can say about pricing," but did add that "this pricing structure is not new to Delta or the airline industry." It's worth noting that after this pricing tactic was exposed, Delta did update its fares nationwide on Friday afternoon and is no longer charging more for solo travelers, offering the same fares for solo travelers and groups of travelers. United followed this move, updating its fares on Friday evening. American, however, had not updated its fares as of Sunday. Delta Issues Statement After Pricing Tactics Were Exposed first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 1, 2025
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Female solo traveler names her safest country in the world after 10 years of globe-trotting
A female solo traveler has compiled a list of the safest destinations in the world - and her top pick may come as a surprise. Zara Aitken, from Somerset, in England, has spent the past ten years traveling the world on her own. She leads a digital nomad lifestyle by making a part-time income from her travel blog Passport for Living as well as working as a Project Coordinator for a UK-based charity. As a longtime advocate for solo female travel, Zara compiled a list of the places she has felt the safest on her own. 'Does this mean that each of these countries is 100 per cent safe?' she wrote in a recent blog post. 'Of course not. 'Naturally, you have to take safety precautions everywhere you travel, but these countries provided me with an enriching experience that I can't wait to share with you.' One of Zara's top picks? Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Despite substantial discrimination against women in the UAE, according to Human Rights Watch, Zara found Abu Dhabi to be 'one of the best travel destinations for solo female travelers'. 'I spent a few days by myself in Abu Dhabi recently on my way back from South Africa and felt very comfortable walking around and travelling by myself,' Zara wrote on her blog Passport for Living. 'People were very friendly and respectful and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.' As well as visiting the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, Zara recommends the 'beautiful beaches' including Corniche Beach with its five miles of white sand and turquoise water. Posting a picture of her wearing a green headscarf outside of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Zara reminds her readers that they should dress according to the 'cultural and societal norms in the UAE'. Also on Zara's list of the destinations perfect for solo female travelers is Maun, in Botswana. Known as the gateway to the UNESCO-listed Okavango Delta, Maun is a small town in the north of the landlocked country. Although Zara admits that there is not much to do in the town itself, she said that the Delta is worth a visit as it is one of the last places with untouched wilderness on the planet. 'This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with wildlife everywhere, stunning sunsets and even more amazing people,' she said. 'I cannot wait to go back to Botswana to explore more of the Delta.' Compared to other African countries, crime rates in Botswana are very low, according to Lonely Planet. The only issue Zara encountered was men catcalling her on the streets when she was walking alone - but she emphasized this would not prevent her from returning to the southern African country in the future. The first place Zara travelled to on her own was Paris, France, which also features on her list. Despite being very nervous on the trip, she fell head over heels for the City of Love and has visited on her own three more times since. As well as wandering through the whimsical streets and exploring renowned locations such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph, Zara most enjoys sipping a coffee in a Parisian café. With one of the lowest crime rates on the planet, Zara also recommends that solo female travelers add Reykjavik, in Iceland to their bucket list - as well as the idyllic Greek island of Corfu. After exploring Australia in a campervan for a month, the Land Down Under also earned a mention in Zara's blog post. With English as its national language, Zara found it easy to make friends with fellow backpackers in Australia so she did not have to traverse the outback alone. The only thing you need to be weary of in Australia, according to Zara, is the wildlife. 'From snakes and spiders to crocs and jellyfish, it seems everything in Australia wants to kill you,' she wrote. 'So it's wise to avoid hiking alone and join a group tour if you do want to embark on a hike, just to be safe.'
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
American, Delta and United charging higher rates for solo flight tickets, writer finds
A Minneapolis-based aviation writer says he's uncovered an airline pricing strategy that makes tickets for solo travelers more expensive. Kyle Potter, executive editor at Thrifty Traveler, says he discovered the practice as he went to buy a ticket for a flight himself. "I saw a $206 one-way fare to Newark this summer," Potter said. "I bumped it up to two passengers, then all of a sudden, I'm looking at $156 for the same fare." Potter ran more tests and found that Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines all were doing the same thing. Solo tickets cost more than tickets bought in a group for the same flight. "You start doing some math, double checking, 'What's going on here? Did I enter the wrong airport code? Did I change the date on accident?' It became pretty clear, quickly, this was a penalty for booking just one ticket," he said. "This isn't an isolated incident. This is a trend. This is something that airlines are doing in order to squeeze more money out of people who are booking just one passenger." Potter posted his findings online in a post that's now been shared thousands of times and viewed by millions of online users. He suspects airlines of charging higher rates for solo travelers to increase costs for business fliers who would typically expense the price of the ticket. WCCO has reached out for comment to Delta, American and United, with Delta being the only airline to respond so far. In an email, a Delta spokesperson said the company is "limited in what it can say about pricing," though they said "this pricing structure is not new to Delta or the airline industry." Potter said after his interview with WCCO that an insider tipped him off that Delta's policy would be reversing course. Higher prices for solo tickets remain for the other two airlines. "It feels like a game of cat and mouse. Every time we find something out, weeks, months later, there's some new system, trick, to push you into a more expensive fare, or hide a cheaper fare from you," Potter said. "I think there just needs to be more accountability – and I don't know if that's something individual travelers can achieve."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I'm a female solo traveller - this is the surprising safest country in the world
A female solo traveller has compiled a list of the safest destinations in the world - and her top pick may surprise you. Zara Aitken, from Somerset, has spent the last ten years travelling the world on her own. She leads a digital nomad lifestyle by making a part-time income from her travel blog Passport for Living as well as working as a Project Coordinator for a UK-based charity. As a longtime advocate for solo female travel, Zara compiled a list of the places she has felt the safest on her own. 'Does this mean that each of these countries is 100 per cent safe?' she wrote in a recent blog post. 'Of course not. 'Naturally, you have to take safety precautions everywhere you travel, but these countries provided me with an enriching experience that I can't wait to share with you.' One of Zara's top picks? Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Despite there being substantial discrimination against women in the UAE, according to Human Rights Watch, Zara found Abu Dhabi to be 'one of the best travel destinations for solo female travellers'. 'I spent a few days by myself in Abu Dhabi recently on my way back from South Africa and felt very comfortable walking around and travelling by myself,' Zara wrote on her blog Passport for Living. 'People were very friendly and respectful and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.' As well as visiting the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, Zara recommends the 'beautiful beaches' including Corniche Beach with its five miles of white sand and turquoise water. Posting a picture of her wearing a green headscarf outside of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Zara reminds her readers that they should dress according to the 'cultural and societal norms in the UAE'. 'To show respect for religious customs,' she penned, 'women should refrain from wearing revealing clothing when not at the beach or pool. 'I chose to wear loose linen trousers and a long-sleeved loose-fitting top, and also wore a headscarf when visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which is a requirement for women inside the mosque.' Also on Zara's list of the destinations perfect for solo female travellers is Maun, Botswana. Known as the gateway to the UNESCO-listed Okavango Delta, Maun is a small town in the north of the landlocked country. Although Zara admits that there is not much to do in the town itself, she said that the Delta is 'well worth a visit' as 'one of the last pieces of wilderness still remaining on this planet'. 'This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with wildlife everywhere, stunning sunsets and even more amazing people,' she said. 'I cannot wait to go back to Botswana to explore more of the Delta.' Compared to other African countries, crime rates in Botswana are very low, according to Lonely Planet. The only issue Zara encountered was men catcalling her on the streets when she was walking alone - but she emphasised this would not prevent her from returning to the southern African country in the future. The first place Zara travelled to on her own was Paris, France, which also features on her list. Despite being very nervous on the trip, she fell head over heels for the City of Love and has visited on her own three more times since. As well as wandering through the whimsical streets and exploring renowned locations such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph, Zara most enjoys sipping a coffee in a Parisian café. With one of the lowest crime rates on the planet, Zara also recommends that solo female travellers add Reykjavik, Iceland to their bucket list - as well as the idyllic Greek island of Corfu. After exploring Australia in a campervan for a month, the Land Down Under also earned a mention in Zara's blog post. With English as its national language, Zara found it easy to make friends with fellow backpackers in Australia so she did not have to traverse the outback alone. The only thing you need to be weary of in Australia, according to Zara, is the wildlife. 'From snakes and spiders to crocs and jellyfish, it seems everything in Australia wants to kill you,' she wrote. 'So it's wise to avoid hiking alone and join a group tour if you do want to embark on a hike, just to be safe.' For Zara's full list of the 13 Epic and Safe Destinations for Solo Female Travellers, visit her travel blog at
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Telegraph
I've been to 50 countries solo. These are my top tips for women travelling alone
Boxer shorts. Bibles. Sex toys. Toenail clippings. I've found some odd and unnerving things lurking in hotel rooms over the years – but never a pair of eyes. I can't imagine the horror Ukrainian vlogger Natali Khomenko must have felt when she looked under her bed to find a strange man peering from the darkness. The seasoned 32-year-old solo traveller was alerted to the intruder's presence after detecting a strange smell in her room during a trip to Japan, and has recently shared her story to raise awareness of the risk women sadly continue to face while holidaying alone. Reflecting a massive leap in searches for solo travel, Airbnb's Spring 2025 Travel Trends Report suggests more 42 per cent of Brits are keen to travel solo in the next 12 months with female explorers making up nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of all solo travellers. Personally, I've spent the past 25 years flying, sailing and hiking alone in more than 50 countries across all continents. The benefits – including a boost in self-confidence, freedom to make my own choices and the exhilaration of stepping beyond my comfort zone – have always outweighed any potential pitfalls. But never once have I taken my travels lightly. Quite the opposite. No matter how well I know a destination, I always take careful precautions. Over time, I've found ways to avoid dangers without detracting from the enjoyment and authenticity of my experiences. Khomenko's story is shocking and deeply concerning, reminding us all how important it is to be vigilant in new places. But it shouldn't deter other women from travelling alone – it certainly hasn't stopped me. Here is my best advice for holidaying solo, from pre-trip tips to safety suggestions while abroad. Do your research Spontaneous decisions have shaped some of my most memorable travel adventures, but I never leave home without a bit of careful planning. In a new city, I scour the internet for information about different neighbourhoods and work out which places to avoid. The comment sections on platforms like are also helpful. When were the most recent comments posted? Does the hotelier respond quickly? Have many people left positive feedback? These are all good indications of a safe and reliable space. Share your itinerary Sharing my whereabouts not only allows my mum to live vicariously through my travels – it also keeps me safe. Apps like TripIt can amalgamate confirmation emails into a detailed plan to be shared with friends and family, while TrackMyTour creates an interactive map of waypoints. If mobile roaming isn't an issue, switch on location services and share details with a select circle through the Life360 app or Find My on the iPhone. Where possible (and affordable), I always take an Uber rather than a taxi or local bus – largely because journeys are tracked and the trip status can easily be shared. But don't overshare Tempting as it might be to shout about adventures, avoid posting any geo-located material on social media in real time. Unless shared within a private group, never make public any information about travel plans and places where you intend to sleep. Either be vague about specific locations or post material a few days later. Making new friends is one of the great joys of travel, but I'm always hesitant to reveal too much personal information with strangers. If ever in doubt, it's fine to tell a few white lies and pretend you are travelling with somebody else or have plans to catch up with friends. When arranging to meet up with new acquaintances, always choose a busy place and share your plans with others at home. Carefully timetable Arriving anywhere after dark can be daunting – especially if you've never been there before. I always try to travel during daylight hours and avoid arriving at a hotel too late. If there's no other option – especially in the case of international flights – I pre-book transport through a reputable company or arrange to stay somewhere close to the airport. Connect with other women Sharing experiences with other female solo travellers can be both reassuring and helpful. Similar to a dating app, platforms like Tourlina, Bumble BFF and NomadHer can be used to find like-minded matches in different destinations. Users can create profiles, share ideas and even arrange meet-ups. On several occasions, I've also requested a female guide – partly to support greater gender equality but also to get a female perspective and inside knowledge. Another option is to join a specialist escorted tour. Companies like Intrepid, Trafalgar and The Adventure People arrange women-only tours – often providing access to activities that wouldn't be possible in a mixed gender group. Come prepared A lot of my travels are in developing countries so I'm always cognisant of the yawning inequality between (relatively) wealthy foreigners and local workers on a low wage. Unfortunately, I've occasionally had cash go missing – even in five-star hotels. To avoid any issues, I carry a padlock to put on my suitcase and keep any valuables inside – although I tend to leave any jewellery at home and prefer to travel light. I use a door latch, if there's one available, and stuff any visible peepholes with a piece of tissue. When entering a room, I check windows are lockable along with any interconnecting doors. Pack appropriate clothing I'm a big believer in clothes as a form of self-expression, but sometimes it's better not to shout about your presence too loudly. Preferring to blend into the background, I avoid wearing anything showy and opt for conservative clothing where culturally appropriate. In Muslim countries like Oman, for example, I would never bathe in a wadi wearing a skimpy bikini and would always opt for long skirts, trousers and T-shirts rather than hot pants and crop tops. Use your intuition If a situation feels uncomfortable, there's no shame in walking away. Whether it's a guide, fellow traveller, bus driver or waiter – nobody has the right to invade your personal space. Either politely deflect any unwanted attention, or – in more serious cases – alert others to what is going on. Even if you are travelling solo, having a network of friends nearby or connected online means you will never be alone.
