Good morning. It's Wednesday, Aug 12, 2026.

While many popular destinations limit American visitors to 90 days, some countries offer significantly longer stays without requiring a traditional visa. Georgia and Albania can allow Americans to stay for up to a year, while Mexico and Panama can allow stays of up to 180 days. The Bahamas also offers longer stays under certain visitor rules.

That could make these destinations especially appealing for remote workers, retirees, snowbirds, or anyone who wants to slow down and spend a few extra months somewhere new.

Europe is a different story. The Schengen Area generally limits Americans to 90 days within any 180-day period, and traveling between Schengen countries doesn't restart the clock.

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That innocent-looking item in your suitcase could become a very expensive problem.

TSA rules depend on where an item is packed. Power banks and other lithium-ion batteries, for example, belong in your carry-on, while certain items are prohibited in specific bags.

And the penalties can be serious. TSA’s current enforcement guidance lists civil penalties that can reach $17,062 for certain security violations.

The easiest way to avoid trouble? Before packing anything questionable, check whether TSA allows it—and whether it belongs in your carry-on or checked luggage.

Sustainable travel usually sounds like something that costs extra. In some European destinations, it can actually save you money.

Copenhagen has programs that reward visitors for environmentally friendly actions such as cycling, using public transportation and participating in sustainability activities.

Elsewhere, Normandy offers discounts at participating attractions to travelers arriving by train, bus or bicycle, while England's Exmoor National Park has offered discounts tied to sustainable actions.

The idea is simple: encourage visitors to make greener choices by giving them something in return.

Searching for an award flight can feel like playing calendar roulette. A new Avios search tool aims to make that much easier.

The tool lets travelers search an entire month of reward availability in one view rather than checking dates individually. It covers eligible flights operated by British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus.

The catch: the current tool focuses on nonstop flights, doesn't show the full taxes and surcharges upfront, and sends you to the operating airline's website to book.

Still, if you're flexible with dates, seeing a whole month at once can save a lot of time.

Chase points don't always have to be transferred to an airline or hotel to get good value.

Points Boost can offer enhanced redemption rates on select flights and hotels through Chase Travel, sometimes reaching around 2 cents per point depending on the booking.

That's potentially much better than the standard 1-cent-per-point value. But don't automatically hit “book.”

Compare the Points Boost price against the cash fare and what you'd pay by transferring points to a travel partner. The best value depends on the specific trip.

Hotels tend to offer more consistent opportunities than flights, while premium-cabin flights can occasionally produce especially interesting results.

Planning a road trip? There's still time to cut your fuel bill.

OnePay is offering at least $1 back per gallon on qualifying Wednesday gas purchases through its promotion period. According to the submitted article, the remaining qualifying dates are August 12, 19, 26, September 2 and September 9.

You'll need to activate an eligible offer in the OnePay app before filling up, and restrictions—including participating stations, spending or gallon caps and eligible payment methods—apply.

The promotion's timing is also based on Pacific Time, so East Coast drivers should pay attention to the cutoff.

Paid for the window seat? That generally means you get the say over the shade—but there's one important exception.

Flight attendants from several major U.S. airlines told Travel + Leisure that the window-seat passenger typically controls the shade. If another passenger wants it opened or closed, they should ask first.

There are exceptions. Cabin crew can require shades to be open or closed, particularly during takeoff and landing or for operational reasons. On long flights, crews may also encourage passengers to keep shades closed so the cabin stays dark.

So if your seatmate reaches across and changes your window without asking, you don't have to start a confrontation. A polite request usually works.

If Mexico is on your next cruise itinerary, there's a new fee to know about.

Since August 1, foreign cruise passengers entering Mexico by sea are subject to a $10 fee, up from $5.

And the price isn't staying there. The scheduled fee rises to $15 in 2027 and $21 in 2028.

It's not enough to derail most vacations, but it is another reminder that the advertised cruise fare isn't always the final number.

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— Pico Iyer

Written by the Boarding Soon Editorial Team

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