Travel goes minimal
Travel habits in 2026 are trending hard toward minimalism — rising checked‑bag fees and new airline rules are pushing people to travel carry‑on only and pack smarter (cartes-2-france.com). At the same time, expect more digital arrival cards and tourist taxes, and remember 39 countries now face new restrictions or travel bans to the U.S., so double‑check visa plans for multi‑country trips ( ).
American Airlines updated its checked‑bag fees for tickets issued on or after Feb. 18, 2026 — first checked bag $40 at the airport ($35 if prepaid online) and the second $50 at the airport ($45 prepaid). (aa.com) Southwest ended its “bags fly free” policy on May 28, 2025 and now charges $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for a second, joining other U.S. carriers in adding checked‑baggage revenue. (cnbc.com) Major carriers and airports are enforcing carry‑on dimensions that explicitly include wheels and handles (the common limit is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, with Southwest allowing 24 x 16 x 10), while low‑cost carriers often reserve larger domestic carry‑ons for a paid fee. (smartertravel.com) Airports and gate agents are increasingly using rigid sizers and weighing policies at boarding, and some airlines add a separate gate handling or last‑minute gate fee (reported gate handling fees around $25 and gate‑checked penalties that can reach $60–$100 on budget carriers). (aeroxplorer.com) Several countries have replaced paper disembarkation cards with mandatory e‑arrival systems: Singapore requires the SG Arrival Card to be submitted within three days of arrival, India made a digital e‑Arrival Card mandatory starting Oct. 1, 2025, and Thailand has rolled out a digital arrival card (TDAC) to replace its paper form. (ica.gov.sg) Local tourist levies are multiplying: Kyoto implemented a five‑tier lodging tax that took effect March 1, 2026 with top rates up to ¥10,000 per person per night for luxury stays, while Venice’s day‑tripper charge returned for 2026 and other countries (including Spain) have introduced national or regional visitor levies. (adept.travel) Presidential Proclamation 10998, issued Dec. 16, 2025, expanded U.S. visa suspensions and entry restrictions to nationals of 39 countries effective Jan. 1, 2026. (congress.gov) The State Department describes the measure as a mix of full and partial suspensions (with full suspensions for countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and Yemen and partial restrictions for others) and lists limited exceptions for diplomatic visas, certain immigrant visas and other narrowly defined cases. (travel.state.gov)
